With the new decade just starting, resolution setters are often looking to change up their exercise habits. There are many commonly believed myths behind exercising, and it’s important to know about and understand them before working out. Doing so can make you much more successful in your endeavors.
1. Exercising 15 minutes a day, 3 days a week is enough
There has been a huge misconception on how much exercise is actually needed. The go-to is that 15 minutes a day is enough. Others say people need at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily. Neither is absolute. Exercise needs vary from person to person. It’s important to do your research or speak to a professional on how much you should be exercising.
2. You have to join a gym or hire a trainer to succeed
While a gym membership/hiring a professional can be a great way to hold yourself accountable in exercising, this isn’t necessary for accomplishing your goals. There are many ways that you can use your surroundings to work out, i.e. power walking in your neighborhood. You can also keep yourself accountable by tracking your workouts.
3. Exercise causes weight-loss
Exercise is not an immediate ticket to quickly burning off body fat. In fact, some people even gain weight after exercise. Weight-loss is a result of mindful nutrition, while weight maintenance is a result of exercise.
4. Exercising on an empty stomach will help you burn more calories
There is a common myth in the exercise world that working out on an empty stomach will lead to more weight loss. The rationale behind this myth is that carbohydrates stored in the body are depleted so you will burn mainly fat during exercise. Studies have shown that this method is not effective over a long period of time. It may fleetingly boost calorie burning, but not enough for this practice to be carried out frequently.
5. Drink water even before you’re thirsty
“Beating your thirst” is a common practice. This involves drinking water even if you are not thirsty to avoid getting dehydrated later on. This action doesn't make sense because studies show that feelings of thirst are a reliable indicator of when your body needs water, even during exercise. Relying on your own thirst is a helpful tool the body uses to keep itself hydrated.
6. Lots of cardio is the way to lose weight
People often believe that cardio is the end all be all. They think the only way to lose weight is by running countless miles and sweating the pounds off. This isn’t quite true, however. While cardio is a great way to stay fit and maintain weight, healthy food choices guarantee weight reduction.
Works Cited:
10 Common Exercise Myths. (n.d.). Retrieved from Check Your Health: http://www.checkyourhealth.org/articles/Archive/exercise-myths.php
Davis, R. (2017, May 16). 9 Common Myths About Exercise. Retrieved from Time: https://time.com/4779651/exercise-myths-heart-rate/
Tucker, A. (2016, July 14). 12 Workout Myths That Just Need To Die. Retrieved from Self: https://www.self.com/story/12-workout-myths-that-just-need-to-die
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