There are a lot of misconceptions about cardiovascular exercise, fat loss, weight loss, nutrition, and resistance training. Read on and learn the whole truth about common fitness myths.

Myth #1: Cardiovascular exercise is the only way to lose fat.

• Truth: Cardiovascular exercise is a factor to aid in fat loss, but is not the only answer. A combination of cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, and a well-balanced diet can produce fat loss results. Cardiovascular exercise is important for everyone and should not be ignored. The benefits of cardiovascular exercise include: strengthening your heart, managing chronic diseases, aiding in fat loss, reducing stress, improving mood, and improving in sleep. A personal trainer can help you learn more about the right kind of cardiovascular exercise for you.

Myth #2: Fat loss can be localized.

• Truth: We would love to do a thousand crunches for a flat stomach and endless amounts of bicep curls for more muscular arms, but unfortunately our bodies do not work that way. The term “toning” is also a misconception as well. Our muscles are already “toned” because if they were not, then we would not be able to move. Our muscles are hidden under layers of fat, and with total body exercise, healthier eating, and cardiovascular exercise, our bodies begin to diminish the layers of fat over time.

Myth #3: Protein bars and shakes are better to eat for weight loss.

• Truth: The supplement industry tells us that replacing our food with a bar or shake will help us lose weight and burn fat, but unfortunately the ingredients are not as healthy as you think. Ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, soy lecithin, soy protein isolate, brown rice syrup, and sucralose are so highly processed that our bodies should not be ingesting them. Instead, our daily eating habits should include: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats such as nuts and seeds.

Myth #4: Weight training is only for men.

• Truth: Weight training is for every gender. Lifting weights will not make you “big and bulky” unless you lift your weights to produce that outcome. Weight training is a type of resistance training. The term resistance is force acting against your body to produce results. The use of your own body weight, bands, tubing, weights, kettle bells, machines, medicine balls, and cable machines all contribute to resistance training. Proper sets and repetitions of exercises will aid in your fitness goals. A personal trainer can help create an exercise prescription that works for you.

Myth #5: The more gym time, the better.

• Truth: We think that spending hour after hour in the gym will help us reach our goals faster, but not taking a rest will hurt us more than we think. Lack of rest does not give your body and muscles enough time to recover and regenerate. Not resting can lead to injury, overtraining, over stress to the body, lack of sleep, a compromised immune system, and consistent soreness. Giving your body 24-48 hours of rest in between sessions is the best way to avoid these symptoms.

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