January is here, and as customary the gym is filled with newbies looking to achieve a myriad of fitness goals. While many are armed with their lifting gloves, belts and fitness-related smart devices, they are still lacking knowledge when it comes to the weight room.
Whether you’ve heard them from friends, family or gym buddies, certain fitness myths persist that may cause us to keep bad habits. If you are new to the gym, here are some of the common fitness myths that you should know about.
Lifting weights makes you bulky
This is a common myth. I have heard many women say they are afraid to lift weights as they are scared that it will make them put on weight. If you are looking to lose weight or tone up weights, cardio, along with a balanced diet are the key. In addition, women don’t have enough testosterone to become super muscular.
The longer the workout, the better
Working out harder doesn’t always mean you’re working out smarter. Spending hours on the treadmill or lifting weights can cause muscle strain that can lead to injury. This also doesn’t factor in poor form or insufficient equipment, which could lead to injury before you reach your goal. As an alternative, break up your routine between cardio, mobility and resistance exercises for variety and to work on all muscle groups equally.
More sweat equals more results
Although sweat will likely drip during an intense workout, other factors need to be considered – for instance, the conditions under which you’re exercising.
Sweat occurs in an effort to regulate your body’s core temperature. While it does indicate your body is burning more calories, this process will eventually stop and continuing to push may lead to fatigue.
Eating whatever you want as long as you are exercising
Think of your overall health. Eating whatever you want is not going to give you the long term health benefits you may want. It doesn’t mean heavily restricting yourself – but it does mean balance and for some people that may be tracking what their intake is and more!
In addition to this, eating a diet with a good level of carbs (rice, potatoes, porridge), protein (chicken, beans, beef) and vegetables (broccoli, fine beans, salad) 80% of the time will actually help you get closer to your goals.
You can get rid of years of habits in 4 weeks
It is not a quick fix! If you have not been consistent for a number of months/years – a quick four weeks shred will not get you your dream physique! That’s the truth. It takes time to undo habits we have grown comfortable with. Being consistent and showing up for yourself will help you in the long run. Long-term consistency always beats short-term intensity.
