You’ve got it all set up, the road to a healthy and effective workout. You’ve got a proper meal plan, a designated sleeping schedule, a cabinet packed full of protein shakes and all the knowledge about fitness. You’re wearing your workout gear in front of the gym mirror and see the battle cries on the wall “No Pain, No Gain” or “Work Hard”, and you start to think are all my knowledge of exercising really backed up with proof?
Most nutritional and exercise facts out there lack evidence and truth to their claims. Before setting out your goals and plans let us debunk some of these exercise myths.
1. Myth: To Build Muscles You Need Supplements
– According to Dr. Parr that we do need protein to build and bulk up muscles, but we can get protein from the food we eat. Buying protein shakes and supplements is basically buying protein extracted from food and served in a powder form. These supplements and protein shakes are great, don’t get us wrong. They can help you build up faster and increase your muscle mass, if you want to. People that usually intake these are strength trainers and body builders, but if you are just trying to build muscle working out and a healthy diet is enough.
2. Myth: Taking a Long Break from Exercising Will Turn Your Muscle into Fat
– Muscles when unused for a long period of time will lose constant tension and will atrophy. When our muscles began to shrink so will our metabolic rate and calorie burning abilities. We maintain the same appetite we had when we were working out, but lose the ability to burn them all. The muscle doesn’t turn to fat, but gaining fat will be easier. That is why it is never advised to work out like a maniac for weight loss and suddenly stop when you shed the weight off.
3. Myth: Doing Crunches Everyday Can Give You a 6 Pack
– To get a 6 pack you need a flat belly, to get a flat belly you need a lean body. You still have to burn off the fat layer on top of the abdominal muscles to get a six pack. Everybody is born with the abdominal muscles, but not all of us can have six packs. Some can have 8 packs and some can have a V-line, but before you can see any of these muscles you need to burn the fat layer on top. Meaning cardio and toning can make your abdominal muscles visible.
4. Myth: Women Should Only Build Muscle on The Upper Body Once a Week or They’ll Look like a Man
– Wrong, women tend to have weaker bone health than men. Training your upper body once a week can make the bone fragile. Consistency in working out the lower and upper body muscles will create better symmetry and increase bone health. Working out the upper body and gaining muscles doesn’t make you look like a man, it makes you look ripped.
5. Myth: No Pain, No Gain
– Pushing your body to the limit can increase endurance, but pushing your body to the limit that you can’t feel your legs anymore is dangerous. A little discomfort after a torrid workout is natural, but lasting pain isn’t. The idea that working out should leave you sore should be removed from the mind. Muscle pain means injury, but some muscle soreness is natural if you are just starting out or have stopped working out for a long period of time. Remember this: Exercise should not cause you pain, if you’re not sore after a workout doesn’t mean it didn’t count.
These myths have been debunked by medical professionals, researchers and therapist. Working out and exercising is important to our health, but it’s also good to remember that dedicating a hundred and fifty percent to it can be unhealthy too. Work out on your own pace, but also challenge yourself to be healthier.
