Ever overheard some juicy stuff at the gym? I remember hearing a woman tell her friend the juicy story of her extra-marital affair as I peddled away on an exercise bike–oh boy. (I wasn’t snooping, she was just talking so loud!) Chances are you’ve also heard some misleading health advice from fellow gym goers. I know I have! Here’s a roundup of the five most frequent myths, and what you really need to know..
Myth #1: Light weights on arms or legs help burn extra calories and build muscle while walking/running.“It is an absolute myth! There is absolutely no need to add additional weight to your own. By adding hand-held or Velcro weights only slows you down, which leads to an incomplete aerobic benefit.”
Myth #2: If you want to lose weight, stay away from strength training because it will make you bulk up. “Most fitness experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage. By incorporating both into your regimen, results are noticed faster and with the proper amount of strength training, your body will not result in a bulky appearance.”
Myth #3: Crunches blast belly fat. “Almost every client believes that performing 100 crunches daily will result in the coveted washboard abs. Planks, yoga, Pilates and crunches and a variety of cardiovascular exercises will help in lowering belly fat. Daily nutrition is also extremely dependent on the appearance of your midsection. Abdominal exercises can strengthen and tone the muscles. But those muscles are underneath the “subcutaneous” layer of fat that gives the lovely appearance of flab. Only losing weight can get rid of excess fat, and where you lose the weight is also dependent on your genetics.”
(From glamourmag.com)
