MYTH #1
YOU CAN EAT ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU EXERCISE
You may be overestimating how many calories you burn at the gym. You can’t out train a bad diet! If you eat more calories than you burn off you will gain weight.
Tips:
Eat whole foods, ultra-processed foods can cause weight gain, especially when over consumed. Eat more vegetables, fruits and wholegrain.
Calculate portions. Monitor how much you are eating. Using a calorie tracking app or learning to estimate food portions.
Increase protein. When trying to lose weight and build muscle, consuming more protein may help as it will help you feel fuller for longer.
MYTH #2
LIFTING WEIGHTS WILL MAKE YOU BULKY
If I had a £ for every time I had a female client say she wants to lift weights to tone up but not get bulky, lifting weights helps to build and retain muscle mass, it’s more important as we age as we tend to lose more muscle the older we get. Women cannot get big and bulky from lifting weights as we don’t have the same amount of testosterone as men do, lifting weights is how you ‘tone up’ and lose the fat.
Tips:
Train safely, to avoid injuries gradually increase weight, reps and sets. Use correct form and perfect technique.
Mix it up. Use both free weights and machines to keep your routines varied and enjoyable.
Work on major muscle groups using exercises such as squats, deadlifts, rows, presses.
Follow a balanced program.
MYTH #3
YOU NEED TO WORK OUT 7 DAYS PER WEEK
Excessive exercise can weaken your muscles and organs and leave you feeling burned out - overtraining. Take at least one recovery day per week.
Tips:
Try active recovery. In addition to taking a day off to relax and let your body recover, take part in gentler exercise such as walking or a swim. So if you have a heavy squat session on a Monday then go for a walk on Tuesday.
Manage your stress levels. Why are you overdoing it? Take time out to manage your mental health too, talk to a friend or family member.
MYTH #4
YOU CAN SPOT REDUCE
You gain weight from head to toe and lose it in the same way. Sit ups will tone your core but they won’t remove the fat from your waist or tummy.
Tips:
Eat less. If you want to lose weight, you will probably need to cut calories. Focus on eating habits that you can stick with, DON’T JUMP ON THE NEXT FAD DIET! These are unsustainable and you’ll generally gain all the weight back plus some after you finish and start eating ’normally’ again. Weight loss is a lifestyle change, creating a healthier relationship with food is key.
Move more. Exercise burns calories, lifting weights builds muscle which will change your body shape and using cardio as a tool to increase your calorie deficit and improve fitness levels.
MYTH #5
THE WEIGHING SCALES ARE THE ONLY MEASUREMENT OF PROGRESS
Your body weight is only ONE of many ways to measure your progress.
Take body measurements. Waist, hips, thighs, arms and chest. You may not lose weight on the scales but your body shape will change. The reduction in body fat is way more important than the scale weight to your health.
Love your body. You’re doing this because you love your body not hate it. Make sure you set realistic goals, it will have taken a long time to put that weight on so it isn’t going to come off over night. Strive to be a better version of yourself instead of dwelling on reaching a target weight or looking like a social media model.
Social media can make all of these myths seem credible, but do your research and make sure it's from a reliable source. If your fitness regime is based on facts and not myths you will more pleased with the results.
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