URBAN FITNESS MYTHS

#1: Weight Training Will Make Women Look Too Bulky

Many women tend to exclude weight training from their workout routine while others don’t lift weights above 2-3kgs, thinking that they will get bulkier.

This concept is far from the truth. In actual missing out on weight training you are missing upon the huge benefits in increase in bone density, increased BMR & preventing age-related muscle loss as you get older. Lastly the shaped up & the firm body with no loose skin flabs.

The matter of the fact is that females don’t have such levels of testosterones in their body which will let them gain muscles & get bulky. Neither do normal women unlike sportswomen are eating great amounts of calories nor are on size building supplements.

So include a 30 minute weight training session at least twice a week with a rep range of 12-15 reps.

#2: Exercises for spot fat reduction

The biggest myth of all is that there are exercises to target fat loss from certain areas. While the actual scientifically proven truth is THERE IS NOTHING KNOWN AS SPOT REDUCTION. Not unless you go for liposuction

Everybody has their own pattern for fat gain as well as fat loss. Many females have male pattern of fat gain while others have female patterns. Just as fat gain pattern is inbuilt similarly the fat loss pattern is also a predetermined path.

Exercises like side bends, abdominal crunches etc. will definitely tone your muscles in those areas and since they are toned they will give you the appearance that they have tucked in. But that’s not the case, the fat is still there and in that same amount.

So when doing these exercise don’t overdo them thinking that they are burning fat. Your diet will be responsible for 80-90% of that fat loss. Strength train, not with targeted exercises, but with big compound movements that recruit lots of muscle (and thus force your body to rebuild lots of muscle, which requires extra calories burned, even after the workout is done).

#3: It's Dangerous to Start Exercising When you’re Older

You are never too old to start exercising. In fact, research shows that, no matter how old you are when you start, you can gain significant improvements in strength, range of motion, balance, bone density, and mental clarity through exercise.

For example, consider the following scientific findings:

Even a small amount of exercise may protect the elderly from long-term memory loss and even help reverse some of the effects of aging.
Women between the ages of 75 and 85, all of whom had reduced bone mass or full-blown osteoporosis, were able to lower their risk of falling with strength training and agility activities
Moderate exercise among those aged 55 to 75 may cut the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which increases heart disease, cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes risk
A combined aerobic and resistance exercise program improved physical function, muscle strength, and symptom severity among heart failure patient
Studies have shown that in post-menopausal women, strength training “preserved bone density while improving muscle mass, strength, and balance in postmenopausal women.”

Exercise will also help you avoid weight gain, which tends to creep up on you as the years go by.

#4: You need cardio to lose weight

If you happen to enjoy running or Zumba or step aerobics or cardio kickboxing, that is great. However, if you are only doing those things to lose weight and you’re not seeing results then stop. There’s a better way.

Believe it or not, strength training will produce a more efficient weight loss effect than an equal amount of cardio.

When you strength train, your muscles start working in an anaerobic environment which produces lactic acid (this is the reason why we get muscle pain after weight training). Also your muscle tissue gets broken down, and then rebuilt over the next 24-48 hours. For body to get rid of the lactic acid & to rebuild the broken tissue it has to recruit more calories and energy to make the process happen. What this means is that you are burning calories even while you’re sitting on the couch after a workout.

Combine workout with a nutritious diet plan and voila you will be in loosing fat without hours of cardio!

#5: Any trainer with good physique has the knowledge to guide you

Just as you won’t let a doctor to treat you simply because he is healthy, you will choose a doctor based on his qualification, experience etc., similarly while choosing a trainer one should focus on the educational aspects.

While there is no doubt that to achieve a well-toned body the person has to undergo lot of training and have diet sensibility. But it’s not necessary that what has worked for him will work for you. Neither have you known about his genetics nor about the supplements he is consuming.

Human body is a complex machine with each and every person having different characteristics and requirement. Thus knowing how much & what to include in your daily activity regimen is of crucial value.

So make sure about how qualified and experienced your trainer is before trusting him blindly.

#6 If you take a break from gyming, your muscle turns to fat!

Muscle is muscle. It can’t, and won’t, magically turn to fat if you stop exercising for a period of time. What you see is your body composition changing namely your lean muscle and body fat. If you do take a break from exercising, you may notice your body fat levels slightly increase and the shape (definition) of your muscles change.

Although your muscles won’t instantly turn to putty and a pot belly won’t pop up overnight, your fitness level will decline when you stop going to the gym. The rate of its decline depends on how fit you were to begin with and how long you’ve been working out. The amount of fat you gain will of course depend on your dietary habits.

#7 Having protein supplements will destroy your kidneys

While this may be true for people who have some disease in their kidney. For rest of us proteins are a just fine.

The University of Connecticut conducted a studied called "Dietary Protein Intake and Renal Function," showing there isn't any concern for people with healthy kidneys who consume high amounts of whey protein. The study references recent research on high protein diets for both weight loss and athletes, which have found no negative impact on kidney function. The conclusion finds there is no evidence that supports the idea that high protein intake is a cause of kidney damage or dysfunction.

The amino acids in the whey protein prove to be essential for the growth of healthy muscles and connective tissue. It improves body composition and enhances athletic performance. Whey protein works to repair and grow muscle tissue, especially after working out. Consumption of whey protein helps prevent bone loss in the elderly. Whey protein is highly recommended for people with cardiovascular complications. It is also very important for cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments and have difficulty supplying the body's nutritional requirements due to appetite loss, nausea and fatigue.

In fact American College of Sports medicine recommends a minimum of 35gms of complete protein every day even for a person having sedentary lifestyle with little or no physical activity.

So make sure you take a moderate amount of complete protein but if you are a vegetarian then taking a protein supplement is recommended.