6 Exercise Myths That Can Keep You from Losing Weight

Losing weight depends on a number of factors including diet, exercise and your body. (Image via Unsplash/ Samantha Gades)
Losing weight depends on a number of factors including diet, exercise and your body. (Image via Unsplash/ Samantha Gades)

The fitness industry is rife with exercise myths. A lot of this false information may cause injury or disappointment and may keep you from reaching your fitness goals.

Weight-loss methods appear to be the most perplexing aspect of health and wellness. Given how many exercise myths are being spread on the internet and through social media, it is not surprising.

Whether or not weight loss is on your mind, exercise has so many positive health effects. People frequently believe they can lose weight by beginning a new exercise regimen without making any other modifications. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for the vast majority of people.


6 Common Exercise Myths

Whether you're interested in learning how to lose weight or get a six-pack, we'll share some fascinating facts and debunk some common misconceptions about exercise. Before we get started, let's emphasize that the most crucial part of exercising is figuring out what works best for you. You should never be afraid to talk to a personal trainer about any worries or misunderstandings.

Don't let these widespread dietary and workout myths stop you from reaching your goals.

Exercise myth #1. Spot training allows you to target weight loss in particular body parts

Spot training, which allows you to focus on weight loss in one or more specific areas of your body and is effective, is one of the most common workout myths. Some people believe that performing arm exercises would reduce arm fat or performing crunches would reduce belly fat.

However, this is not how the body burns fat in order to convert it to energy. Not only is fat closest to the muscles you use, but all fat is lost when you exercise and burn calories.


Exercise myth #2. The more weight you lose, the more you sweat

That you burned off more calories than you took in throughout the day is the most crucial factor in weight loss. You want more calories (energy) to leave your body than to enter it.

Yes, you can temporarily lose a pound or two of water weight if you perspire a lot. However, those pounds quickly return. That's because sweating doesn't really affect how many calories you burn. Sweating simply results from your body's accumulating heat, whether you're working out or lying in the sun on the beach, and your body needs to cool down.


Exercise myth #3. The best way to work your core is through crunches

When people think about their core, they typically picture six-pack abs. The fact that crunches work these muscles is one of the reasons they are a well-liked workout.

To make your core stronger, you need more than simply crunches.

You can feel your rectus abdominis, or "six-pack," muscles when you do crunches, but to have a strong core, you also need to work on your obliques, transverse abdominis, and the muscles in your pelvis, hips, and lower back.

If done properly, crunches work perfectly, but you won't feel or notice the benefits if you aren't also working your entire core.


Exercise Myth #4: Train every day to notice results more quickly

Some fitness experts advocate a "no days off" philosophy. However, according to experts, exercising every day can potentially be detrimental.

The fact is that you need downtime. Your body needs between 24 and 72 hours to recover from an exercise; during this time, "growth" truly occurs. If you continue to work out during those intervals, your risk of injury or overtraining significantly increases. Your car's engine will be destroyed if the oil is never changed. The human body works similarly: if you don't give it time to heal and rest, it will let you down.


Exercise Myth #5: For results, long training is necessary

The truth is that short workouts can be just as beneficial. In other words, you don't necessarily need to work out for an hour each time.

Don't let the short amount of time deter you from working out. Your overall cardiovascular health and endurance will significantly improve if you concentrate on the caliber and effort of your workouts.


Exercise Myth #6: Exercising vigorously is usually preferable

People believe they should be smashing burpees and plyometrics in every exercise session because HIIT is so well-liked. The "most successful" approach to exercise is when you're exhausted and drenched in perspiration afterward.

The truth is that while HIIT is fantastic, lower-intensity exercises are also beneficial.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with occasionally pushing yourself to the limit, but if you are not using the right form and giving yourself enough time to recuperate, you can be causing more harm than good. Moving more slowly and mindfully can have long-term advantages.


Wrapping Up

If you've tried to lose weight in the past, you might have repeated the same myths. The majority of these are false, which is worth mentioning. Food, your body, and your weight have a very complicated relationship with one another.

Look into evidence-based dietary and lifestyle adjustments if you're interested in losing weight.

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