Busting Fitness Myths

1) No Pain No Gain?

DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It is caused by micro-tears in the muscle + likely to follow 8 + 48 hours post exercise.  It is usually brought on by either performing movements we are not used to or using very heavy weights.  Whilst a degree of ‘muscle damage’ is required for muscle growth, some may argue that DOMS is a sign of a ‘good workout’! However severe DOMS can be detrimental to subsequent workouts + our motivation can take a hit if we are crippled by muscle soreness! So a little stiff is quite natural after a session, but if we are struggling to get down the stairs it’s a good indicator we have gone too hard or too heavy!

2) Muscle weighs more than fat?

No! Muscle is not heavier than fat. In the same way 1 pound of feathers weighs the same as 1 pound of lead, 1 pound of muscle weighs the same as 1 pound of fat. The difference is in density. 1 pound of muscle takes up less space/volume than 1 pound of fat. This means two people of the same weight can have a very different body composition. One with more muscle mass will appear smaller/leaner because muscle takes up less space in the body + the one with more fat will appear bigger/bulkier.

3) Strength training makes you bulky?

Unless you are lifting some seriously heavy weights if is unlikely you will bulk up. The less body fat you have, the leaner + more muscular you will appear. For women it is even more unlikely, as women carry have far less testosterone. Remember Muscle is your friend in midlife!!!

 4) Can I target belly fat?

No! Unfortunately we can’t target the lose of fat in one area. However, if you combine over all fat lose + strengthen the abdominal area, you will appear stronger + leaner.

5) Is cardio the best way to lose weight?

If weight loss is your end goal, a cardio workout will certainly help take you into a calorie deficit (in addition to a smart nutrition plan) which is essential to losing weight. But longer term, more lean muscle mass will help increase your metabolism at rest, as well as providing additional health benefits. So a combination of cardio + strength training is ideal.

6) I need to workout every day?

Yes to movement everyday! But No, doing a workout every day is not necessary! You need to factor in recovery time to let your muscles repair + rebuild. To do this you need to let your body recover. I recommend factoring into two active recovery rest days a week - these are for stretching + walking (this is not a sofa recovery!!)

7) Stretch before a workout?

Yes! But we need to keep these stretches dynamic. Static stretches are for post workout. Keep your body moving through the moves helping to improve mobility + elasticity in the muscles. I recommend 3-5 minutes to work through each body part including a little pulse raiser to get you ready for action.

8) Can I turn Fat into Muscle?

No, fat is fat + muscle is muscle – they are two different types of tissue and cant turn one into the other. You can however lose fat + increase muscle! Lets go…!

9) Eating carbs causes weight gain

Carbohyfrates do not directly cause weight gain, but consistently consuming more calories than the body needs can be stored as fat, leading to weight gain. It is important to have a balanced diet + monitor your overall calorie intake. Stick to high quality unrefined carbohydrates that have a lower sugar index such as whole grains, non starchy vegetables, legumes + nuts + seeds.

10) I will burn more fat doing an early morning, fasted workout?

No, your body does not burn any more body fat working out in the morning versus later in the day. It still depends on overall calories consumed + calories burned. You should try to eat an hour before exercise, so if you workout very early, you may decide to do it fasted.

If you have any questions or myths you would like to bust, then just drop me a line. I would love to hear from you! x