By now you know that certain myths simply aren’t true – weights don’t make you bulky, diets are typically a bad idea, and that fat physiologically can’t be transformed into muscle.
So, I’m going to focus more on five fitness myths busted that won’t be true anymore for you after today! First of all, let’s start with that famous phrase I’m sure you’ve heard before.
1. Eat less and move more to lose fat. While this might work in the short-term, it doesn’t work for the long-term. You can only eat SO MUCH less and move SO MUCH more. The solution is to focus on food quality and portion size first.
2. Cardio is best for fat loss and for re-shaping your body. Actually, to achieve this, you should focus on weight training. Similarly, this applies to body weight training or actual weight training. Adding muscle to your body will not only re-shape it into a more athletic, more defined look, but it will also increase your metabolic efficiency since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.
3. Fat makes you fat. Sure, fast food, fried, and processed fats are absolutely no good. But naturally occurring fats like avocados and nuts are shown to have tremendous benefits on a desirable body composition. So, eat good fat to lose fat! About 1-2 tablespoons per meal is ideal.
4. Sit-ups and other “ab” exercises give you abs. It’s actually mostly great nutrition that will reveal abdominal muscles. Real core-strengthening exercises like planks, deadlifts, and kettlebell swings can also help with this!
5. Keeping a food journal will help you monitor and control what you eat. Let me caveat this one. Above all, I’m a big believer in food journals! BUT only if you tell the truth. ☺ You can’t forget anything for this to be effective. And you can’t back track and try to remember what you ate the past 3 days and still expect an insightful outcome. Do it right and it works! Do it wrong and it’s not a great use of time.
Originally printed on Move Well Fitness blog. Reprinted with permission.
Maurice D. Williams is a personal trainer and owner of Move Well Fitness in Bethesda, MD. With almost two decades in the industry, he’s worked with a wide range of clients, including those with health challenges like diabetes, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, lower back pain, pulmonary issues, and pregnancy. Maurice is also a fitness educator with Move Well Fit Academy and NASM.
