Top 5 Fitness Myths Debunked

No matter where you look, there’s fitness advice just about everywhere. That makes it difficult to know what’s actually true and what is really nonsense. There are a lot of fitness myths out there and it’s important for you to be able to spot them. In short, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

Who Is Making the Claim?

First, any time you see someone making a claim about fitness online, you should look into who is saying it. Doing some quick basic research will uncover whether the person is a certified instructor or if they’re just someone with a lot of followers online. The same goes for anyone offering nutrition advice. Just about anyone can claim themselves to be an expert online without anything to back it up. Always seek advice from registered dietitians, who will have an RD or RDN credential. 

Overall, the best thing to keep in mind is that if anyone is guaranteeing results, they are probably not legit. Personal trainers, fitness instructors, and nutritionists will rarely use such certain language when it comes to what results you can expect. And yet, they are exactly who you should go to for advice. 

Top 5 Fitness Myths Debunked

There are a lot of myths we could debunk. But here, we will debunk the top 5 fitness myths you’ve probably heard.

You Should Exercise Intensely Every Day

It is important to have an active lifestyle, but it’s also important to allow your body to rest. Is too much exercise bad for you? Tricky question. What’s more important than having an intense workout every day is getting up and moving periodically throughout the day. You do not have to do designated “workouts” every single day. You can take it easy and instead take a couple of 10-minute walks throughout your day. 

In between days of intense workouts, you should have at least one rest day to recover. Rest can help maximize your fitness routine. Keep in mind that rest includes sleep. Sleep is an often underrated part of recovery. It is the only time your body is completely resting. So, if you’re waking up early in the morning or staying up late to fit in your workout, you might want to rethink your routine. If that is something you’re doing, you might want to skip the hour-long workout and sleep for an extra 30 minutes and then work out for 30. If you want to perform optimally, you need to be well-rested.

The Longer the Workout, the Better

As we said, moving throughout your day is more important than the length and intensity of your workouts. It’s easy to think that the longer you spend at the gym, the better off you must be. But this is not true. In reality, it comes down to how you’re exercising and what you’re looking for. For example, you can have a really efficient HIIT workout in just 30 minutes that is more effective than spending two hours lifting weights or performing moderate cardio. 

Strength Training Will Make You Bulky

This is often a concern of women who are just beginning their fitness journey. However, this may be a concern no matter your gender. One of the top 5 fitness myths we can debunk is that using weights will make you bulky. It would take a lot of heavy weights as well as other lifestyle changes to make you truly bulk up. 

Adding weights to your fitness routine is actually very effective at building lean muscle and burning fat. In addition, studies have found that resistance training such as weights can help preserve bone mass. In the long run, this can help prevent osteoporosis, which is especially important for women who most frequently experience the condition. 

If you’d like to slowly make the transition to adding strength training, you can try HIIT training. It combines cardio and weights, which leads to an increased heart rate, burning more calories. It also leads to an after-burn effect, meaning you continue burning calories even after you finish your workout.

You Need an Expensive Membership or Equipment to Get Fit

With the interest in fitness higher than ever in the past several years, this fitness myth just isn’t true. There are definitely expensive options out there, but that doesn’t mean it always has to be expensive. If you’re really concerned about the cost of getting and staying fit, you may want to instead find ways to make fitness a part of your everyday lifestyle. This may be more effective than investing in expensive equipment or gym memberships.

Try taking more walks throughout the day or exchanging a brunch date with your friends for hiking or biking. Plus, there are also all kinds of free workouts you can find online. YouTube is a great place to find real-time workouts that you can follow. Or, if you’re looking for something tailored to you, you can invest in virtual programs without purchasing costly gear.  Because you don’t always need expensive equipment to have a great workout. If you need a few light weights, try using canned vegetables or filled water bottles instead. Your goal should be to find long-term solutions that will lead to a sustainable lifestyle.

Do Static Stretches Before and After a Workout

It is absolutely true that you want to stretch before and after your workout. However, there is a difference between the types of stretches you should do before and after. Forget what you might have been told in gym class, that you should touch your toes before running. A move like this is considered a static stretch because you hold the same position for a few seconds. Static stretches can actually lead to more harm than good when done before your workout. 

The best time for this type of move is actually after your workout. This is because your muscles are already warmed up. If you do the same move while your muscles are cold, they could snap similar to a rubber band. Before your workout is when you should perform dynamic stretches. Movements like light jogging, arm swings, jumping jacks, or even high knees are better choices. These moves will stretch the muscles to their full range of motion and increase mobility. 

Fitness Is Important

If you’ve ever heard that fitness is bad for you, they were lying. There are a ton of benefits to maintaining a fit lifestyle, but only when done correctly. Fitness can be bad for you if you do not warm up and cool down correctly or use the incorrect form. But as you’re beginning your fitness journey, remember to do your research to find out if the advice you are seeing is correct and coming from a qualified professional. Still have questions? We have you covered. Right Fit Personal Training is here to ensure you are both fit and informed! Reach out today and let us know how we can aid your fitness journey!