Eight Health and Fitness Myths Debunked
Sydney Ford
| 3 min read
There are all kinds of myths out there about health and fitness. What workouts are best, what foods cause weight loss, exactly how many sit ups do you need to be doing to see abs? Lets take a look at these myth busters to ditch the fiction and get fit!
Myth 1: Doing crunches and working out with an ab machines will get rid of belly fat.
Truth: Crunches and machines help to strengthen the muscles in your core. If the belly fat is still there, you would not be able to see the muscle forming.
Myth 2: Fresh fruit is better than frozen fruit.
Truth: While frozen fruits are flash frozen at their peak of freshness, fresh fruit can be hanging out for about 2 weeks before it makes it into stores for you to buy. Which would you rather eat?
Myth 3: Lifting weights will make a woman bulky.
Truth: Building muscle may not be as easy as you think for women. Alice Burron, a former body builder, says that it was very hard for her to get more bulky when she would lift. The estrogen in a woman’s body keeps her from building large bulky muscles. She really had to overload the weight to see results. No need to be afraid of lifting, it is definitely great for toning and tightening.
Myth 4: Stretching before a workout is best.
Truth: Warming your muscles with a bit of cardio is actually more effective. Stretching after warmed up means that you will be expanding your muscles with less risk of tearing something.
Myth 5: Going gluten-free will help you lose weight.
Truth: If it’s not medically necessary then going gluten free isn’t the best choice. Gluten free foods actually have more sugar and extra calories, so they definitely are not going to be at the top of your list of things to do for weight loss.
Myth 6: The only way to have an effective workout is to go to the gym
Truth: Workouts aren’t about what you use, but how you use it. Workout at home with a yoga mat, resistance bands, or a run outside. They are all just as useful on your journey to a more fit physic.
Myth 7: You can target the places where you want to lose body fat.
Truth: There is no way to reduce fat in only one area of the body. While of course target exercises will build muscle in one specific area, they are not actually burning the fat from just that one spot. Fat loss happens all over the body.
Myth 8: Raw foods are better for you and more easily digested.
Truth: While it is true that unprocessed and uncooked foods means that foods are not losing any of their nutrients, it doesn’t mean that heating veggies makes them any less good for you. Some of the enzymes that are loss are just meant to protect the plant but do not affect the human body.
Now that you have gotten rid of some of these myths are debunked, you get back to your workout with a bit more confidence.
Photo credit: SuperFantastic
