Exercise Myths

"Maybe if I exercise three times a day, I will look like Jennifer Aniston..."

That is a common misconception about exercising. And  it's by far not the only one.

There are things that people assume about exercising and dieting that are just down right WRONG, but everyone continues to believe these misconceptions because they heard it from their mother's friend's son's wife's sister's hot trainer from Colorado.  

Myths usually come from grape vines.  When you don't hear it from an actual trainer, doctor or nutritionist, DON'T BELIEVE IT.

Let's focus on the common misconceptions and nip them in the butt.

Myth number one: No Pain, No Gain.

Not true.  According to Steven Blair of the Cooper Clinic in Dallas Texas, exercising at high intensity is no different than exercising at moderate intensity.  The only difference is time.  It does not matter if you walk 40 minutes or run 20.  You are burning the same amount of calories, the only difference is that one is more time consuming than the other.  Also, don't expect your body to be sore every time you get done working out.  Soreness will probably occur at the beginning of every workout routine, but never push your body to the extreme.

Myth number two: Strength-Training equals Muscular Women

Forget about it ladies, this is not true.  According to Miriam Nelson of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston(*out of breath*),  women don't have the hormones needed to build all that body mass.  Testosterone is needed in order to bulk up, which means ladies if you want to be a body builder, buy some hormone pills because it's the only way you will accomplish that look.  Lifting weights should be part of a well balanced exercise program for both males and females.

Myth number three: Spot Training Works

WRONG! In order to get rid of trouble spots you must loose the weight to get rid of the excess fat surrounding your troubled areas, according to University of Maryland exercise physiologist Rosemary Lindle.  It is impossible to loose weight and tone up one part of your body.  You're body fat is contained in certain areas depending on your body type.  Women tend to store that fat in their hips while men store it in their abdominal.  It is impossible to just loose weight in your hips or abs. 

Myth number four: Overweight equals not fit

Yes ladies and gentle, you do not have to be rail thin to be fit.  According to Blair, being obese does not mean that you are not fit because being fit doesn't require high levels of physical activity.  Any physical activity, whether it's walking or hiking, 30 minute everyday qualifies a person as being fit.  Weight does not play a factor.  There are many thin people who are unfit because their daily exercise consists of eating potato chips on their couch.  

Myth number five:  With age come Weight gain

Doesn't have to be so.  According to JoAnn Manson of Harvard Medical School, the reduction of physical activity and metabolic rate is what causes obesity. It is true that as you grow older the muscle mass decreases, but with a couple months of strength training that muscle mass can all be gained back.  The key is not to let yourself go.  Keep up the workout routine in your 40's and 50's.  The routine might change slightly, but it will help keep you fit into your 60's and 70's.  

Don't let silly exercise myths drive you up the wall. This after all is about YOUR fitness, health and beauty.  If you are happy the world is BEAUTIFUL!  Until we met again, "let's jazzercise!" ;)