1. Lifting lighter weights will create toned muscles. Women will get bulky muscles if they lift heavier weights.
False – The only way to get a lean, toned physique is to reduce total body fat so you can see the muscles. To build the muscles you want to see, you must overload it with heavy weight and then let the muscles recuperate with proper food and rest. Too little weight (intensity) or insufficient recovery time prevents your muscles from getting tighter and stronger. Lifting light weights is an inefficient way of strength training. Women have significantly less testosterone than men, therefore, will never be able to get as big as a man unless she’s taking some enhancing drug. If women look bulky, it’s because they carry excess body fat and have muscle, not because of dense muscle tissue alone. Bottom line: get lean by combining efficient/intense weight training, proper amounts of cardio, and good nutrition.
2. Thin people are always healthier than overweight people.
False – Thin people who don’t exercise may have a higher body fat percentage from lack of muscle compared to a slightly overweight person who exercises. It is always better to be an active overweight person than a sedentary thinner person. Being thin doesn’t mean you’re fit. Bottom line: No matter your weight, you need to exercise to reap the health benefits.
3. Crunches are the most effective exercise for strengthening abs and will rid you of belly fat.
False – Crunches target hip flexors and some rectus abdominis and obliques, neglecting the transverse abdominis. You should do a variety of ab exercises to target each muscle, including ‘plank’ and twist exercises. You can’t control where you lose body fat so doing 100s of crunches won’t decrease belly fat. Defined abs requires that you reduce overall body fat by eating well and exercising regularly (cardio and weights). Bottom line: eat nutritious foods, do cardio, total body strength training plus effective ab exercises for stronger and flatter abs.
4. Doing cardio burns more calories than strength training.
False – Unless you’ve incorporated intervals during your 30 minute cardio session, the increased rate of calorie burning will end when the workout ends. Research shows you can burn nearly the same amount of calories during a challenging 30min weight training session compared to 30min of cardio, however your metabolism can stay elevated for up to 24 hours after lifting – i.e. the total amount of calories burned in a day is greater with weight training. Bottom line: don’t neglect strength training if your goal is to burn calories and lose fat.
5. The less you eat, the more weight you’ll lose.
False – Eating too little can be harmful and will backfire. Drastically cutting calories to < 1,200 a day will result in a slow metabolism. Once your body thinks it’s starving, it will go into survival mode and start to hoard body fat. Instead of focusing on reducing calories, focus on eating the most nutritious foods possible that will provide protein, fibrous carbs, healthy fats, and vitamins/minerals to energize you for productive workouts. Bottom line: feed your body properly and exercise regularly and you won’t have to starve to see results.
6. Calories are the only thing that counts when trying to lose body fat or gain lean muscle.
False – A calorie is not just a calorie. Calories from sugar do not have the same effect on your body that calories from chicken do. Consuming the proper ratio of protein, carbs and fats is very important. Everyone is different so find what works for you. One of the most efficient ways to lose fat and gain muscle is to increase intake of lean proteins, decrease starchy carbs, eat more fruits and vegetables, and ingest healthy fats. Consuming smaller meals at frequent intervals also helps to keep the metabolism up and the blood sugar even. Bottom line: for every 100 calories of food, aim for 5-8g of protein, 2-3g of fat, and 10-14g of carbs. Eat a small snack/meal every 3 hours.
7. Muscle weighs more than fat.
False – 5 lbs of muscle weighs exactly the same as 5 lbs of fat. The only difference between the two is size. 5 lbs of fat takes up to 3-4 times more space than 5 lbs of muscle tissue since muscle is more firm and dense. This is why people can lose inches off their hips and not see the scale budge. When you reduce fat and increase muscle, you appear smaller because you carry less jiggly fat and more lean tissue. Bottom line: your weight isn’t as important as your body composition – fat-to-muscle ratio.