10 Fitness Myths That Are Doing More Harm Than Good

There are two main reasons to exercise: to be healthier and to look better.

There are many workout pieces of advice where you can hear a daily basis. However, the truth is that these pieces of advice would not help you to reach your goals and could actually do more harm than good.

Are you confused now? If you want to get an overview of some of the most enduring workout myths and misconceptions, and also the real science that can help you encounter your fitness goals in a healthy way. Here are Some:

Myth 1: To stay in shape, you only need to work out once or twice a week.

You do not have to limit yourself for once or twice to exercise

It is true that you always looking for a positive result after a workout. Therefore, you need to exercise 3 – 5 times a week.

Myth 2: The best time to work out is first thing in the morning.

You can work out in your most convenient time. If you prefer night time, stick with it. If you prefer a morning run, do that instead.

According to the Washington Post, the best time to work out is whenever you can. If you exercise at different times of the day, be sure to note the hour as you’re tracking your progress. That way, you will know when your body clock may be to blame for a less-than-optimal workout.

Myth 3: Weightlifting turns fat into muscle.

You cannot burn fat into muscle.

Weight lifting helps you to build up the muscle tissue in and around any fat tissue. Therefore, the best thing you can do to reduce fat tissue is to eat a healthy food like vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean proteins. Addition to that, you also can take healthy fats like those found in olive oil and fish.

Myth 4: Puzzles and games are great workouts for your brain.

Your brain is the most complex and truly amazing organ in your body. More people taking interest in keeping their brain sharp. Therefore, it is better to focus more on practical steps to build and maintain brain health rather than giving more attention to puzzles and games.

According to Business Insider, aerobic exercise or any kind of physical activity that raises your heart rate and gets you moving and sweating for a sustained period of time — has a significant, overwhelmingly beneficial impact on the brain.

Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater volume in people who exercise versus people who don’t.

Myth 5: Exercise is the best way to lose weight.

Exercise while ignoring your diet is not a good weight-loss strategy.

University of Alabama obesity researcher David Allison sums up the research this way: Adding physical activity has a very modest effect on weight loss — “a lesser effect than you’d mathematically predict,” he said.

“There are all kinds of reasons to exercise that are good for your health,” says Diana Thomas, a Montclair State University obesity researcher. “However, if you’re trying to lose weight, the biggest problem I see is food. you need to cut back the food you are eating.”

It is clear that you need to restrict your calorie intake, you need to stay away from high-fat foods and measure your food potions. By doing a good workout and by having a well-balanced diet will help you to achieve your goals.

Myth 6: Sit-ups are the best way to get 6-pack abs.

If you need to 6 pack abs, you need to challenge all of these muscles. You cannot limit your body only for sit-up exercises.

“Sit-ups or crunches strengthen just a few muscle groups,” write the authors of the Harvard Healthbeat newsletter. “Through dynamic patterns of movement, a good core workout helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles you use every day.”

Myth 7: Weight training is for men.

Some people believe that weight training is only possible for men, but that is not true. If you can improve Weight training, it is a great way to strengthen muscles, and there is no specific gender for weight training.

Females produce less testosterone on average than men do, and studies recommend that hormone plays a role in determining how you build muscle.

Myth 8: It takes at least two weeks to get ‘out of shape.‘

According to Business Insider, Muscle tissue can begin to break down within a week without regular exercises.

“If you stop training, you actually do get noticeable de-conditioning, or the beginnings of de-conditioning, with as little as seven days of complete rest,” Shawn Arent, director of the Center for Health and Human Performance at Rutgers University, said.

Myth 9: Running a marathon is the ideal way to get fit.

Running offers an efficient full-body workout, burns a ton of calories, tones the body, offers a great venue for socializing, and improves health.

However, some people do not run for long hours, in other words running a marathon is somewhat hard, but the good news is that Running fast and hard for just 5-10 minutes a day can provide some of the same health outcomes as running for hours.

If you can run at least a few minutes a day, it provides the same benefit compared to those who run more than 3 hours per week.

Myth 10: Sports drinks are the best way to re-hydrate after a workout.

Most of the sports drinks contain sugar and water.

According to Active, you don’t need a sports drink to regain energy after a workout. Some specialists say that other sources, like energy bars, contain just as many carbohydrates as sports drinks and can replace what your body lost without including sugar and caffeine at the same time.

However, Sports drinks are a good source of carbohydrate calories, but they also contain a great deal of sugar, which is a drawback for many.