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TOP 10 EXERCISE MYTHS DEBUNKED
Information about health and fitness is everywhere,
but several long-held myths about exercise continue to prevail. The American Council on
Exercise (ACE) reveals the truth behind 10 of the most oft-repeated exercise myths.
No pain, no gain. This one's been around forever.
Sure, exercise can occasionally be uncomfortable, particularly if you're training to reach
a particular goal, but pain is generally a sign of injury or overuse. Numerous studies
confirm the benefits of moderate exercise, which is usually anything but painful.
To burn more fat, exercise at a lower intensity.
Several years ago, a study showed that people burned a larger percentage of fat (vs.
carbohydrates) while exercising at a lower intensity as compared to a higher intensity.
Unfortunately, the total number of calories burned during lower-intensity exercise is much
smaller than the total number burned while exercising intensely.
Sports drinks are better than water during exercise. Unless
you're working out for longer than two hours per day, you really don't need to supplement
with high-energy sports drinks. While sports drinks do provide additional minerals,
high-energy is often a code word for high-calorie, which is the last thing someone who is
trying to lose weight needs. Plenty of water is sufficient for most exercisers' needs.
You can reduce the size of your waist or thighs by doing
specific exercises. This is called the myth of spot reducing and has incited
millions of women to perform countless leg lifts in the hopes of achieving slimmer thighs.
The same is true for men, who do hundreds of sit-ups to reduce their midsections. The only
surefire way to lose weight and slim down all over (short of surgery) is a sensible
combination of diet and exercise.
Women who weight train will build bulky muscles. Sure,
some women are more genetically predisposed to build muscle than others, but without high
levels of the male hormone testosterone, most women would be hard-pressed to develop
muscles like their male counterparts. Besides, strength training has proved essential for
maintaining bone strength and overall health.
To lose weight, do lots of aerobic exercise. While
aerobic exercise is widely regarded for its calorie-burning effect, strength training is
an equal partner in the weight-loss equation. Strength training increases muscle mass, and
more muscle means more calories burned.
If you're thin, you don't need to exercise. Wrong,
wrong, wrong. Exercise has been proved to reduce the risk of numerous diseases, including
cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. It also reduces the effects of stress, lowers
anxiety, enhances sleep and improves overall quality of life.
Exercise is only about improving appearance. See
above.
If you weren't active as a child, you can't be an active
adult. Adults well into their 80’s and 90’s have shown dramatic
increases in strength from weight training, according to several studies. The truth is,
it's never too late to start exercising because it's possible to start reaping the
benefits of activity at any age. The key is to start slowly and gradually increase
intensity over time.
If you exercise, you can eat as much as you want. If
only it were true. Unfortunately, while exercise does increase calorie burning and aid in
weight-loss efforts, it cannot combat the effects of overeating. But even if you cap your
workouts off with a hot fudge sundae, you'll still gain numerous health benefits from
exercising regularly.
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