How often do you think you understand exactly what you need to do to improve your health… and then discover that you’ve been given some slightly incorrect information?

These fitness myths are just that, misinformation that’s been spread across the globe, that in some cases might do you more harm then good for maintaining your health.

Check out these 6 mind-over-matter fitness myths and learn the fitness truth to help keep your workouts on track. Discover why you might not be getting the results you want from your health and fitness program.  Change your Thoughts, Improve your Actions, and Celebrate your Wellness Success! 

FITNESS MYTH 1:

Pilates and Yoga aren’t really “workouts” that can improve muscle strength like lifting weights. 

FITNESS TRUTH:
Both Pilates and Yoga are whole-body workouts that involve a combination of both strength and flexibility.  While it’s true that you probably won’t build muscle “bulk” with these workouts, you can develop wonderful amounts of strength, with length.  These workouts focus on whole body function which means rather than just targeting the larger muscle groups like you do in the weight room (chest, back, shoulders, biceps & triceps),the smaller muscle groups that are deeper and closer to the bones work diligently to support and stabilize healthy movement.  Because of this, as you gain strength with Pilates and Yoga, your muscles will appear stronger, longer, and leaner.  The added benefit of Pilates training is the fact that springs are involved.  Spring resistance acts in the same fashion as your muscles, to contract and release.  This added resistance makes Pilates training an even more effective strength training workout.

 FITNESS MYTH 2:

The only way to get benefits from your workout is to “feel-the-pain” or “go-for-the-burn.”

FITNESS TRUTH:
PAIN is the body’s way of telling us there is a problem that we need to pay attention to.  Ignoring it can quickly lead to injury.

By the time your muscles are “feeling-the-burn,” chances are the muscles you thought you were strengthening are too fatigued to fire.  The result: you will develop compensation patterns and begin using other muscles that really shouldn’t be involved.  The brain remembers the last thing we do. So, if you’re using the wrong muscles, the brain will remember and recruit them first next time you go to do that exercise.  The result over time becomes bad body mechanics, over-developed bad movement habits, increased wear and tear on the body, and a much higher risk of injury.

FITNESS MYTH 3:

An aerobic workout will boost your metabolism for hours after you stop working out.

FITNESS TRUTH:
True!  But the calorie burn is only about 20 extra calories a day.  If you think you deserve to eat more for dinner after a hard workout because you “earned” it… chances are you’re going to consume way more calories than you burned for your workout and end up gaining weight instead of losing.

FITNESS MYTH 4:

Doing a million crunches or sit-ups will get you 6-pack Abs.

FITNESS TRUTH:
Lots of time doing sit ups, crunches, or other ab machine exercises might get you more muscle in your mid-section, help alleviate back pain, and improve posture. But if you want to see a sexy 6-pack, and not look like you’ve been drinking them, you’re going to have to reduce your overall percentage of body fat.

FITNESS MYTH 5:

Target-Training to Spot REDUCE will get results every time!

FITNESS TRUTH:
We can’t pick and choose where we want to lose body fat, or target only one piece of our body to change our shape/size.  ONE specific exercise will never give you that “whole new body!” The ads promote: get miraculously thin thighs, develop buns of steel, get ripped abs by next weekend…  It just doesn’t work this way unless you opt for liposuction.

Cross training with a variety of exercises and activities that work the whole-body for BALANCED muscle development, eating a healthy diet, and adopting an active lifestyle are the best ways to enjoy living in the best body possible.

FITNESS MYTH 6:

If you aren’t sore the next day, your workout wasn’t hard enough.

FITNESS TRUTH:
Muscle soreness is inflammation and the body’s chemical response to that inflammation.  Measure progress toward your goal instead of soreness to know you’ve had a good workout.  Some Olympic athletes haven’t felt soreness in years! Judge your workout by your workout and, keep in mind, you don’t have to have soreness to gain muscle size or strength.

I hope you’ve gotten some new insights to help you improve your health.  It might be nice if some of this was true, but these 6 fitness myths need to be put to rest.  Focus on what you CAN do, and what IS possible, and you’ll get the results you want from your wellness program.  Take good care of your body; it’s the only one you’ve got.

*****

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