Fitness Myths Debunked !!

Sabitha_K · Jul 17, 2010

Dear Ladies,

We have all come a long way A-Z ( Atkin's diet to Zumba) and each day unfolds with more tips,facts and lovely team work here in IL.

During your journey on this fitness road,you might have come across some information which you felt was factual but later realized it to be fictitious.

Do share some of the myths you have debunked from your personal experience.Note that works for one may not work for everyone but do share some of your reflections on how something you perceived as irrefutable and unquestionable is looked upon as dubious now.

Others, please feel free to comment and discuss/refute/denounce as this is a open forum and not a scientific research lab with data analysis number crunching machines which produce the results with precision and can't be oppugned.

Sabitha_K · Jul 17, 2010

Myth #1

Eating after 8:00PM in the evening causes weight gain and does not aid in weight loss

I have always looked at this tenet of fitness with suspicion right from the beginning.Why would someone put on weight if food is consumed late in the night.Logically it is so right when someone explains that since the calories consumed are not expended, it gets stored as FAT.I have read a lot on the internet on this, and there is no conclusive evidence citing that having food late in the night or just before going to sleep produces fat in the body.All that matters is whether the calories consumed = calories expended to maintan a balanced weight.It does not matter when you excercise but as long as you burn those calories , eating before bed time is acceptable.Would love to hear if someone feels otherwise.

ALPA · Jul 17, 2010

Myth 2:-
Weight training makes you put on weight especially with women
This is wrong, women will never look like men if they do weight training as women's muscles are different from men and so women will never put on weight infact they will burn their their fat and the muscles become stronger so when a woman will weight herself she will find the weight more but its because of the muscle weight and she will look toned as well.

Myth 3:-
After stopping gym you will put on weight
When you are exercising your body is working and burning calories so after stopping the gym and if you do not maintain your eating habits or exercise you will put on weight, so you need to make your body exercise.I had stopped gym for a week in December and when i went back in January 2010 my trainer told me i had lost weight so one has to exercise and maintain a good eating habit.

Will come back with more
love
alpa:cheers

ALPA · Jul 18, 2010

Myth4:- Exercising for more than an hour or two you will loose weight
NO, do not exercise more than an hour especially when doing weight training, your body can only take one hr to one and half hour exercise not more than that afterwards your body will get tired. So only exercise for an hour or an hour and half not more than that and keep on sipping water in between

love
alpa:cheers

ALPA · Jul 18, 2010

Myth 5:- Only working on certain spots you will loose weight
Doing exercises on spot areas is working like just working out on the tummy will help you reduce your tummy weight, well its wrong you need to exercise your entire body to reduce weight on your stomach and other parts of your body.

Myth 6:- By doing Protien Diet you will loose weight fast
Its true and false by doing protien diet you are inviting kidney failures and other ailments, we need protien in our diet everyday and also carbohydrates so the best way to reduce weight is to have your carbohydrates in the morning and have your protiens any time of the day. Protien shoudbe taken everyday as we need for our skin, cell, hair growth and protien is a very importnat source for us.if you have protiens everyday and are exercising and dieting your skin will not wrinkle or sag. So have your protiens everyday.

Myth 7:- by dieting only you will loose weight fast
Well you will loose weight fast but your skin will sag and become loose and after a while when you will go back to your normal diet you will put on double weight, when dieting one has to exercis so the skin and the body is being toned at the same time and also your weight loss is going on slow rate which better, losing weight on a slow rate is better than losing a lot of weight in a month. So do not be afraid to exercise, exercising is very important.

love
alpa:cheers

Spiderman1 · Jul 18, 2010

Sabby and Alpa,
Good ones, thank you. :thumbsup

Keep them coming.

Any myths around diet?

ALPA · Jul 19, 2010

Hi spiderman,
thanks. Never diet as they are harmful all you need to do is to reduce your food quantity, eat what ever you want to but in smaller portions have 5 to 6 meals a day your dinner should be the lightest meal of the day and breakfast the heaviest as you need energy through out the day.
love
alpa:cheers

Sabitha_K · Jul 19, 2010

Alpa,

I was nodding my head vigorously in unison at all your demystified myths.I do not why people have this misconception that when you stop excercising you would put on weight.You might put on weight owing to lot of reasons primarily because of food habits and lifestyle.Moreover your body metabolic rate increases if you regularly exercise which infact helps to maintain your weight.Glad to see you here and as usual interesting facts and I agree to everything that you have posted.

Sabitha_K · Jul 19, 2010

Myth #8

Low fat food is better than full fat food

You need to be VERY careful when you buy low fat over full fat.Take time to read the ingredients in any low-fat or fat-free version.Have you ever observed that this variant often has more sugar and other artificial contents to make it consistent with taste and flavour of full fat.You might find less FAT in it but the other substances in there negate the benefits you get by eating this low fat version.I have often seen that porridge , puddings and ice creams of low fat edition are more creamier giving you the rich texture and taste that you would feel good about having it with added health benefits when in reality you are damaging your health.So next time you walk into that low-fat section take time to read carefully the ingredients in fine print just before shoving it in your shopping cart.

Sabitha_K · Jul 19, 2010

Dear Spiderman,

You need tips on diet:biglaugh , you may not be able to hold on to the world wide web if your gossamer limbs attenuate owing to diet.So to keep you in IL , I would strong recommend NO DIET for you ...