The fitness industry is filled with exercise and weight loss myths. No one really knows where these myths came from but they have developed a following that keep going from one generation to the other. Most people believe these myths and share it with others. New ones keep springing up on a regular basis. We are busting 8 fitness myths today. After reading it I want you to break free from their limitation and achieve your fitness goals.
# 1 Abs Crunch for belly fat
No other exercise is as overrated as the crunch in burning belly fat. Interestingly, it does not live up to that expectation. This is because crunches do not really target the fat inside your belly. Instead it targets the muscles and makes them firmer and tighter. You may end up having a bulky stomach, because you did not burn the fat off first. Your abs muscle will only get tighter but the fat will still be there.
What to do
Concentrate on burning fat all over your body and your abdominal fat will also go. Complete body workout like plank, push-ups, burpee and skipping from high to low intensity will burn more body fat and make you lose abs fat than crunches.
To make crunches more effective, hold a crunch position, and do the Russian twist while holding a kettle bell to your chest. You can also add sides twist to your crunch to work on your oblique. You can use an abs bench for the twist or stay on the floor
# 2 abdominal belt and body shaper burns abs fat
If this were true nobody will have abdominal fat. The belt would vibrate the fat away while we are sleeping. In a world of quick fixes, the abs belt with its astounding promise sounds too good to be true and it’s not true. Most abs belt manufacturers now tell you to use it while working out. It’s the workout that burns the fat, not the belt.
What to do
Engage in workouts that will raise your heart rate. You do not need to isolate your abs or wear something that is so tight it makes you miserable and out of breath. Work on your food by eating healthy food and the flat abs will appear.
# 3 No pain No gain
Some people believe they must almost die every time they work out to make it count. They glory and gloat over their pain. I hear people gloat about how they nailed it in the gym by saying “I could not walk the next day. My body is screaming in pain’
Continuous pain is not good. I believe in challenging my body. Discomfort that passes and allows me to continue with my workout is fine. Pain? No thank you.
In a world where some people are used to suffering, they believe that every aspect of life needs pain. I make people lose weight by planning workout that are challenging yet fun. As you grow you add new workouts. People lose weight while having fun. That is why they come back. Not because I make them cry.
Start slowly, progress with caution not pain. When you feel terrible, and you cannot walk, or make it to the gym because you did leg day, how can you come back to the gym for shoulder day?
What to do
Every time your body is introduced to a new exercise, your muscles and your body try to adapt to the new exercise and this may cause soreness. It should not be like that each time you work out. The good thing is that as your body recovers from the soreness it becomes stronger and more toned. You should not feel sore all the time. Every day. That is not what makes you lose weight. Start with what you feel comfortable with and progress. It is called progressive overload. Not one time overload.
# 4 1 HOUR OF MINDLESS WORKOUT
That is another myth that has been here for a long time that is probably sabotaging your fitness goals. You do not need to work out for 1 hour to lose weight.
This may the reason your weight loss goal is not working. Attention span and the duration of your workout. When you work out for a long time, you will get tired, your form suffers and you just want to go home. Set the time that you want to finish your exercise and focus on it.
The same thing when you are given a deadline, you face it head on and get it done, but when you are given unlimited time your workout suffers.
How did you feel the day you went to the gym did HIIT and in 20 -25 minutes you were done?
What to do
You do not need 1-2hrs in the gym to lose weight. What you need is to be mindful of what you are doing while working out. Focus. Keep your body engaged in the workout. Do not stroll leisurely on the treadmill while checking your messages. Do not browse while using the bike. You are in the gym to work out. Your messages can come later. When you concentrate you will not need 1 hr. to get result. You will get it in 20 – 30 minutes. 3 times in a week I hit my clients with 10 workouts in 15 minutes with 20 seconds rest in between each set and we are done. Use your time well. It’s the quality and intensity not the quantity that give you the result.
#5 Drink ( put the one you know here) and lose weight
There is always something to drink, powders to mix that promises instant weight loss. Several celebrities line up to claim its one magic tea or the other that make them svelte. You buy it and drink and remain the same. What they fail to tell you is that they have personal trainers and nutrition coaches to help them maintain their looks. So, they will not tell you that they exercised, ate healthy food and also drank the tea. When they are paid to endorse a product, they will of course say that the tea is the reason for their beautiful body.
WHAT TO DO
You should know that green tea alone does not have magical powers to make you lose weight. To lose weight you must exercise and eat healthy food. You must teach yourself to look at fat loss in a different. When you focus on doing things the right way, fat loss will come naturally. You can enjoy the many benefits of green tea; do not just look at it as the be all and end all of weight loss
#6 I have big bones
This may be true but it does not stand in the way of weight loss. I know clients who see me the first time and tell me that they are not fat, just big boned. Morelife.co.uk has this to say :
“This is partly true. Some people have bigger skeletal frames than others. It’s better to say that someone has a small, medium or large frame rather than being big boned. However having a large frame in the terms of weight management will not have a huge impact. An adult skeleton only weighs between 2 and 4 kilograms (4-8 lbs.), whereas an adult male in the healthy weight range has a total weight of around 70 kilograms (10½ stone”
Big boned people have a tendency to gain weight easily and have difficulty losing it. But they lose weight. It may take a little more time but you will lose weight.
What to do
Look at your picture a couple of years back. You may be happy to notice that you were not as big as you are now. You believed the myth and the fat accumulated over time. Do not despair, a moderate eating plan and regular cardio will help you get back to a comfortable weight. You may need to keep a tight exercise and eating routine to help you maintain your weight loss.
#7 Water will make you gain weight
Water will not make you gain weight. It might make your tummy a little bigger but when you visit the rest room, it will go down. Water does not have calories and helps you to release impurity and move your bowels. You should not overdrink water either. Take as much water as is comfortable for you. Eight glasses of water is a general guideline. You can drink more than that if you need to.
On hot days you may drink more water. I do. But on cold days I drink less water. You can flavor your water with lemon and apple.
What to do
Water does not have calories to make you gain weight. Do not overdrink water because it can lead to
Do not gulp water down at one time. Drink water regularly throughout the day. That way, you will not get thirsty or dehydrated before drinking water.
#8 Progressive starvations
This is one of the myths that have refused to go away. You may think that skipping meals will make you lose weight. Maybe for a while, but of course it will stop and leave you worse off. When you are very hungry you will eat fast and a lot. All you want to do is to get food into that rumbling tummy as fast as you can. Any time you skip a meal, you will over eat to make up for it.
What to do
When you are hungry eat. Waiting till you are desperately hungry will only make you to overeat your next meal. Make sure you eat real and whole foods. Do not go for more than 4 hours without something to eat. It may be apple or chicken with vegetable stir fry. Eat what you like that is healthy but observe portion control.
That a myth has been around a long time does not mean it has to hold you bound. Now that you know the truth, go out there and achieve your weight loss goals. Make fitness and eating healthy a lifestyle not something to jump into in desperation.
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