As a personal trainer for nearly 10 years, I’ve heard many fitness myths, so I wanted to debunk a few of the ones I hear the most. You ready? Let’s go!
Cardio is the only way to lose fat. I hear this one all the time! Cardio is great for heart health and of course, burning calories, but it’s not the only way to lose fat. When it comes to losing fat, you need a caloric deficit. A caloric deficit can be from eating, exercising (whether it’s lifting, running, or another activity), or a combination of both. I advise clients to do a combination of eating healthy, strength training, and cardio for the best results when it comes to fat loss, re-composition, or overall health. Cardio is not the only solution when it comes to fat loss. It’s just part of it!
Lifting heavy weights will make me bulky. This is also another common myth I hear when people first start lifting. There’s a fear that heavy weights will make us bulky, but it’s not true. It takes a lot of heavy lifting and eating to become “bulky.” Our bodies need a large amount of stimuli (ie really heavy weights) and large amounts of food like eating a caloric surplus (usually 2000-3000+ calories) to become bulky. Basically, you won’t accidentally become the incredible hulk if you lift heavy. It takes a lot of work to get there.
No pain no gain. I’m definitely guilty of this. When I first started working out, I thought I had to push myself to the point of unbearable pain, and that if I wasn’t sore after a workout then it meant I didn’t work out hard enough. Wrong. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to injury, and being sore is not a good indicator of how effective a workout is. Soreness is just your body’s way of telling you it’s not used to that movement or weight. You’ll usually feel really sore when you start (or restart) your fitness journey, and as you get stronger you won’t feel as sore anymore, and that’s okay! It means you’re making progress! A better way to measure your workout progress is by tracking the weights and reps or duration of the exercise/workout session.
These are just a few of the common fitness myths I hear. What other ones would you like me to debunk? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you!
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