Let’s discuss the 6 biggest myths in the fitness industry!

The fitness sector is one of those industries where almost everyone has an opinion. As well as that, fitness, health and wellbeing isn’t always black and white, so what might work for one person, may not work for another. Having said this, it’s always interesting discussing various myths and ‘Bro Science’ hearsay during our personal training courses.

Below are the most common myths we come across when delivering various courses, including our British Weight Lifting qualifications.

• Carbohydrates are the devil! Social media has almost single handily tarnished the reputation of carbohydrates. The reality is, carbohydrates are not to be blamed for fat or weight gain but we are! Carbohydrates are vital for a number of metabolic processes in the body, provide us with energy and also help us grow and recover. As a society, we need to learn how to control the amount of carbohydrates we eat and choose the right sources. After all, it is far too easy to blame carbohydrates and not our self-control.
• Lifting weights will make women bulky! No, this is not true. Weight training has a number of benefits for men and women including strength, definition and improved posture. The reason women won’t build bulky muscle from following a traditional weight training programme is the low levels of testosterone in comparison to men. However, lifting weights will help women burn fat, improve definition and improve quality of life! *KnowledgeBomb: Did you know over 50% of 50 years olds can’t get out of a chair without using their hands to support their legs #LackOfStrength
• Don’t drink water – Sports drinks are better! NO! Sports drinks are designed to give us energy. In most cases they are full of sugar. Unless we are exercising or performing a strenuous task for a long period of time, we don’t really need them. For example, a rugby player may start drinking a sports drink towards the end of the game where he’s starting to run low on glycogen and is becoming fatigued. Consider this scenario, imagine you are sat at home watching TV expending very little energy, yet you are drinking a sports drink which is full of energy. In most cases that energy will be stored and not used and it is usually stored as fat. Water on the other hand is crucial for our wellbeing and health, there is no need to replace it…
• Muscle weighs more than fat! No it doesn’t. Both units of weight weigh the same – a pound is a pound. However the density is different. This means that a pound of fat takes up more room than a pound of muscle because muscle is far more dense. This could result in a smaller yet more defined individual weighing more than an overweight person carrying excess fat.
• To lose weight you must exercise for an hour! No, this is untrue. The duration of exercise doesn’t always impact the amount of weight you lose. In most cases, if you are carrying a lot of excess fat then you could lose weight / fat with as little as 20 minutes of work. I would encourage our students who complete our personal training courses to focus on the quality of exercise / training rather than the duration.
• Cardio is the best for fat loss! This is not true. Any form of exercise can help reduce the amount of fat a client is carrying. Resistance training and strength training can equally support fat loss just the same as cardio. In fact, resistance training has far more benefits than cardio training: improved strength, improved posture, increased metabolic rate, better definition and a release of endorphins. *KnowledgeBomb increased muscle mass results in more calories being burnt at rest BONUS!

For more information on fat loss, training advice or nutrition please visit our blog. Alternatively if you are interested in our fitness courses don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or call us free on 01925 506507.