There are plenty of exercise misconceptions out in the world, some of which may be holding you back from achieving your fitness goals.
Do the following 5 exercise myths sound familiar? This is exactly what you need to hear.
1) Exercise on an empty stomach burns more fat.
This theory says that if there’s no fuel in your body to burn then you’ll end up burning fat, but research has proven otherwise.
Instead of pulling the energy from stored fat, there’s a better chance that your body will look to energy in your bloodstream and muscle stores. Further drawbacks to exercising on an empty stomach include shortened workouts due to lack of stamina, and dizziness or nausea from low blood sugar.
Instead of going hungry, enjoy a small, nutritious snack about 60-90 minutes before you exercise.
2) Cardio is more effective for weight loss than weights.
For some reason people seem to love the idea that they will burn more fat by running on a treadmill than by lifting using free weights. Sorry everyone, but cardio alone is never as effective as a routine that also includes resistance training. Strength training is essential for building lean tissue, which increases your metabolism and decreases your body fat.
If your goal is weight loss, then make friends with some free weights.
3) If you exercise enough, then you can eat anything you want.
This myth makes me cringe, as I’ve seen so many people throw away their hard-earned fitness results by overeating. Even if you exercise daily at an intense rate, your nutrition plan still matters. To top it off, most people overestimate how many calories they burn as well as underestimating how many calories they are eating. This can be a set up for failure and not for success.
For best results, maintain a calorie-controlled nutrition plan filled with fresh, wholesome ingredients.
4) For optimal fat burn, exercise longer at a low intensity.
Wouldn’t it be nice if this one were true? Then instead of pushing it hard in the gym we could all simply go for a nice, long stroll to burn fat. Umm, usually if something sounds too good to be true that’s because it is too good to be true.
Intensity matters when it comes to getting great results, so challenge yourself.
5) Unless you exercise often, exercise is a waste of time.
I hear this myth in the form of an excuse from people who haven’t started an exercise program due to the idea that they won’t be able to exercise enough to make it count. Research continues to prove that any exercise is better than zero exercise. So you can only exercise once a week? Do it.
Any exercise is better than zero exercise. You need to set up with an exercise program tailored to your lifestyle.
The sooner that you get started on a results-driven exercise and nutrition program, the sooner you will be living life to the fullest.
What are you waiting for? Get started ASAP!
Originally posted yourhoustonnews.com/courier 5th May 2013
