People are more interested in health than ever before, which has made the fitness industry a multibillion-dollar global market. Health and wellness content is ready and available at our fingertips, which is mostly a great thing – the first step towards bettering yourself is educating yourself!

That said, not all sources are created equal. It’s vital to fact check information to ensure accuracy, but that can be difficult and overwhelming across the massive landscape of today’s media. It’s because of this that many people fall victim to false information that prevents them from achieving their fitness goals.

Unfortunately, we can’t bust every fitness myth in 1 blog post; the best way to keep your information accurate is to hire a certified in-home or virtual personal trainer. That said, here are 5 of the most common fitness myths that drive our team crazy.

Uncovering the Truth About 5 Fitness Myths

MYTH 1: NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Of course it’s important to push yourself during workouts, but you should never be in pain. There’s a big difference between sore, tired muscles, and sharp stabs. There’s also a big difference between an elevated breathing rate and feeling like you can’t breathe. Our in-home trainers in Toronto, Collingwood, London,  Hamilton and Ottawa (and virtual personal trainers everywhere)want clients to feel safe and confident to challenge themselves without a high risk for injury.

Any physical activity does come with some risk, but using good form, proper mechanics, and an appropriate level of intensity diminishes this risk as much as possible. It can be challenging to learn what level of difficulty is best for you, which is where the Nielsen Fitness team can step in. We keep a constant line of communication that allows us to monitor exertion: the ideal way to find safe limits.

MYTH 2: TARGETED CORE WORKOUTS TRIM BELLY FAT

Having defined abs is a highly popular fitness goal that our in-home and virtual personal trainers see all the time. We’re always happy to help in this area, because a strong core is essential for good posture, a healthy back, decreased risk of injury, improved athletic performance, and so much more. That said, “there are a lot of myths surrounding the subject that are in dire need of debunking. First and foremost among them: the majority of scientific studies show it is not possible to spot reduce body fat from one targeted area (such as the belly) at a time” (Livescience, 2022).

While isolated exercises do strengthen your abdominal muscles, they don’t really do much as far as fat-loss is concerned. No matter how strong your abs become, you may not see them if your body is carrying extra fat in your midsection; bodies are extremely unique. Where you naturally carry fat mostly comes down to genetics, and having a certain level of healthy fat is important. The pictures you see in magazines or online of washboard abs are usually of fitness models, celebrities, or competitors. It’s probably their job to look that way for a certain period of time, and it’s not permanent. They’re likely in a very high caloric deficit – and possibly dehydrated – which (of course) isn’t healthy to do all of the time. It wreaks havoc on your hormones, mood, energy, and strength. The best way to strengthen your abs is through a combination of compound movements and isolation exercises that target the entire core in a functional fashion. Pair this with a healthy diet and your mid-section will become more defined, but don’t set your sights on an unrealistic ideal with little to do with health.

MYTH 3: NO SWEAT EQUALS NO RESULTS

This is a myth that can take time for clients to understand. In fact, we have an entire blog that covers this topic. That’s because it’s easy for many of our in-home and virtual personal training clients to associate a good sweat with a good training session. Your body is seemingly telling you that you’re working hard, which makes you think you’re creating results. The reality is, sweating just means you’re overheated. In some cases, it can be an indication of high exertion, but the key point to remember is that a lack of sweat does not represent a lack of effort. Your breathing rate, heart rate, and muscle fatigue/burn are much more reliable indicators of intensity.

MYTH 4: HEAVY WEIGHTS MAKE YOU BULKY

It’s possible to put on a significant amount of muscle mass with heavy weights, but this must be done in conjunction with careful planning and strategy. Lifting heavy weights alone will not make you look big or bulky. On the contrary, a smart resistance training program is a great way to improve definition through body recomposition. “To reap any benefits of strength training takes dedication and hard work. But to achieve the physique of a bodybuilder or Olympic weightlifter requires an incredible amount of commitment and years of regimented exercise and nutrition. You won’t end up there by accident, promise” (Shape, 2022). Our in-home and virtual personal trainers specialize in this area.

MYTH 5: LESS CALORIES EQUALS BETTER RESULTS

A caloric deficit is not always necessary for results. For example, you can’t really put on muscle or build definition without eating enough. Your body needs energy to train and grow, and that can’t be done without an appropriate amount of macronutrients.

Not eating enough can actually prevent you from seeing change, because you may not have the energy to push yourself to your appropriate limit for your body to adapt. The Nielsen Fitness team offers nutritional support that can put you on the right track. We’ll start by assessing your current intake, then make suggestions that can help you tweak your diet for the better. “This idea of ‘a calorie in and a calorie out’ when it comes to weight loss is not only antiquated, it’s just wrong,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist and assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

The truth is that even careful calorie calculations don’t always yield uniform results. How your body burns calories depends on a number of factors, including the type of food you eat, your body’s metabolism, and even the type of organisms living in your gut.You can eat the exact same number of calories as someone else, yet have very different outcomes when it comes to your weight” (Harvard Health, 2020).

FINAL WORDS

Starting an exercise program can be challenging, and we don’t want you to waste your time on strategies that don’t work. If you’re not sure where to start, reach out! First workouts are zero pressure and always free. And our team is here to answer your questions, bust myths, and guide you on the path to success.