1.

MYTH:
Muscle Turns to Fat When You Stop Working Out

FACT:
Lack of exercise causes the body to burn fewer calories and may lead to weight gain. The muscles may reduce in size without exercise. This means that muscle is NOT turning to fat, but it becoming smaller while more fat covers it. You can prevent this through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

2.

MYTH:
NO PAIN, NO GAIN

FACT:
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. A good exercise program puts a reasonable demand on the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal systems and may be uncomfortable but should not hurt. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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3.

MYTH:
Spot Reduction is Possible.

FACT:
Contrary to popular belief you cannot “burn fat” from just one area of your body by exercising that body part. Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help you lose extra body weight, which you’ll lose from your entire body, NOT from one spot.
Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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4.

MYTH:
Women Who Lift Weights Will Get Big Bulky Muscles

FACT:
Most women to not have the genetic potential to get as big as men do when strength training. So don’t worry!! Strength training is good for your bones, muscles, and overall health. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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5.

MYTH:
Lots of Crunches Will Make My “six pack” Visible.

FACT:
Doing crunches will build the abdominal muscles, but you won’t necessarily see them until you get rid of the layer of fat covering them. To see those abs, you need to have a balanced diet and proper exercise to lose fat. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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6.

MYTH:
You Will Burn More Fat if You Exercise Longer at a Lower Intensity

FACT:
The most important idea behind weight loss is burning more calories than you consume no matter if those calories come fat or not. The faster you walk, run, bike, etc, the more calories you burn per minute. Try some interval training to pick up the intensity in your workout!! Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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7.

MYTH:
There is a Quick Fix Out There to Make Me Lose Weight

FACT:
In reality, there are no quick fixes. Weight loss is not easy, and requires a balanced diet and regular exercise. If the newest diet pill seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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8.

MYTH:
Muscle Weighs More Than Fat

FACT:
A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, a pound! Muscle is more dense and takes up less space than fat. Replacing some poundage of fat with muscle will make you seem smaller, when you really weigh the same. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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9.

MYTH:
Eating After 8pm Will Make You Gain Weight

FACT:
Your metabolism doesn’t know what time it is. To gain weight you must consume more calories than you expend. You can eat any time and not gain weight as long as you don’t over-consume calories that day. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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10.

MYTH:
The More Protein I Consume, the More Muscle I’ll Gain

FACT:
The body uses protein, carbohydrates, and fat to build muscle. An excessive amount of protein will end up unused by the body and expelled as waste. Wilmore, J & Costil, D (1999). Physiology of Sport & Exercise. Human Kinetics

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11.

MYTH:
To Lose Weight, I Should Eat as Little as Possible

FACT:
The less you eat, the more the body believes it’s being starved, and will hold onto its precious fat stores. In order to lose weight you must expend more calories than you consume. A deficit of 3,500 kcal/week will result in 1-lb of fat loss. It is best to try to reduce by 500 kcals/day through diet and exercise. A healthy amount of weight to lose per week is 1-2 lbs. Also eating 5-6 small meals/snacks throughout the day will help keep your metabolism active, and an elevated metabolism equals weight loss! Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Human Kinetics, Champaign: 2000; 252-255

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12.

MYTH:
If I Really Want To get Jacked I Should Exercise As Much As Possible

FACT:
Too much exercise can lead to overtraining, which will greatly hamper the results you are trying to achieve. The body needs adequate rest and recovery time in between workout sessions. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Human Kinetics, Champaign: 2000; 159-166

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13.

MYTH:
I Want to Get Defined Muscles, so I Should Lift Lighter Weights with Higher Repetitions

FACT:
You may have increased muscle size through strength training, but if it’s being hidden by a layer of fat, all the weight lifting in the world isn’t going to reveal it! That’s where diet and cardio come into play. A balanced diet and regular cardiovascular activity will help display that hard earned muscle. Also lighter weights with higher reps will just lead to muscular endurance. An increase in lean tissue is best achieved through a repetition range of 6-10 over 3-5 sets. Also it is recommended to perform 3 or more exercises per muscle group! Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Human Kinetics, Champaign: 2000; 418-421

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