If exercising was a lot of fun, pretty much everybody in the world would be fit and thin. But for most of us, it's not. Sure, there are always those strange and alien people who claim to love to jog or want to marry their elliptical machine. But most people (read: normal people) who exercise do it more for the physical and health benefits than for the exercise itself. The truth is, if you're anything like me, you wouldn't work out if you didn't have to.
We all know how important it is to get exercise. Without it, our bodies and our health suffer. But there are a lot of myths about exercise floating around out there. And when people are un (or under) educated about exercise, they tend not to see the results they're looking for from the exercises they do do.
Chances are, not everything you believe about exercise is actually true. Want to better educate yourself about your work out? Read on to learn about seven commonly-believed exercise myths... and why they're just not true.
1. "A Workout Equals a Meal"
Unfortunately, it's all too easy to underestimate how many calories are found in the foods we eat. And even more unfortunately, it's just as easy to overestimate the number of calories we burn in any particular activity. The truth is, most exercises simply don't burn off as many calories as we think. So while you might think you're entitled to an extra serving of fries or a slice of cheesecake because you took that half-hour aerobics class, you're really not. To really see results (and get that svelte photo up on your internet dating profile), you've got to both cut calories and add exercise. Sad but true.
2. "Doing Sit-Ups Will Get me a Flat Stomach"
Unless you're already quite thin, spending those 10 minutes on the treadmill instead of doing sit-ups is going to give you a much better shot at a flatter stomach. The truth is, there's no way to spot-reduce your body fat. So while building a bit of extra muscle is always a good thing, that flat, taut muscle won't be seen until you lose the fat. And the best way to do that is with cutting calories and doing plenty of calorie-burning cardio.
3. "I Don't Have Time to Work Out"
Don't work out much? Then this is probably one you tell yourself all the time. And unless you're just about the busiest person on the planet, it's probably not true. If you have time to surf around on internet dating sites and watch silly videos on YouTube, you have time to work out. What you should really be saying is "I don't feel like it." Then, at least, you'd be honest.
4. "When I Work Out, Fat Turns to Muscle"
This is one of those things that perky blond spokeswomen trying to sell exercise machines and diet products love to say-- not because it's true, but because it sounds good. In truth this simply doesn't happen. Muscle and fat are two totally different kinds of cells; and one cannot simply transform into the other. When you exercise, you build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So when you see your body fat decrease and your strength increase, it can feel like a transformation. But it's not. You're simply losing one and building the other.
5. "My Body Wants Me to Lose Weight"
You know that eating healthier and exercising is good for your body. And so you probably think that your body wants you to lose weight. But really, it doesn't... and it's actually working against you. Your body doesn't really know how to think ahead to what's best for it in the long-run. Its job is to keep you alive; to preserve fuel (in the form of fat) for times when food isn't plentiful. Your body doesn't realize that a fully-stocked grocery store is a 5-minute walk away, and so is very efficient at using as little energy as possible. Which makes it that much harder to lose weight and keep it off.
6. "Dieting Makes Me Healthier"
Eating well and exercise lead to a healthy body, that's true. But dieting does not. The truth is, losing 10 or 20 pounds for a few months has very little effect on your overall health; and going through that loss and re-gain again and again can actually be detrimental. Diets aren't actually good for your health; it's lifestyle changes that improve your health in a real way, and for the long term.
7. "A Half Hour is Enough"
Did you just walk to work, take a 30-minute aerobics class, or go for a short jog? Congratulations... you've done something great for your body. Unfortunately, though, you haven't done enough. While getting 30 minutes of exercise a day is great for your overall health, if you're looking to lose weight it probably won't do it. Most people who lose a good percentage of their body weight and keep it off over time exercise at least an hour a day, at least 5 days a week. Any less, and you probably won't see the results you want. Of course, everything you do is going to be better for your heart and your body. But if you're really looking for visible results, raking leaves for 40 minutes or taking a few flights of stairs isn't going to do it.
