(AscendHealthy.com) – Working out may be good for our bodies and brains, but unfortunately, exercise is an area that’s full of myths and misinformation. Before starting an exercise program, it’s wise to know what’s accurate and what’s not. We’ve done the research and outlined six common workout myths in the article below. Let’s find out what the facts are.
Myth #1: Heavy Weights Make Women Bulk Up
While heavy lifting certainly builds muscle, it won’t cause a woman to become “bulky.” Women have less testosterone than men, so it’s much more difficult for them to build large muscles. That means women can safely lift weights — even heavy weights — and still look feminine.
Myth #2: Cardio is All That Matters for Weight Loss
Cardio burns calories and may help a person lose weight. Yet, when there’s a mix of cardio and weight lifting, weight loss might take place easier. This is because muscles burn more calories at rest than fat does. Having more muscle and less body fat might mean a slightly higher metabolism and the opportunity to lose weight more easily.
Myth #3: No Sweating Means No Benefits
We don’t have to work up a big sweat to work out. There are many ways to get exercise, and even gentle exercise options may mean better health. A brisk walk every day may be good for the heart and the waistline, and nearly any exercise is better than no exercise at all. If working up a sweat isn’t possible or isn’t advised due to heart conditions or other health issues, there may still be exercise opportunities to consider.
Myth #4: It’s Easy to Work Off What We Eat
The old saying that we can’t outrun our forks may be very accurate. When people exercise, they often start thinking that they can eat more because of their activity levels. That might be true, but only to a minimal extent. While active people burn more calories, it may take hours on the treadmill to burn a few hundred extra. Those same calories might be quickly eaten back in just a few minutes by choosing a high-calorie snack or “junk” food. Moderate eating is still important, even when exercising.
Myth #5: No Pain, No Gain
It’s pretty normal for muscles to be sore after a good workout, but soreness isn’t required for muscles to get stronger. Also, remember that being in pain isn’t the same thing as being just a little sore. If someone is actually in significant pain after working out, though, they might be working too hard and should scale back their efforts. Working out too hard may be more damaging than an easier level of exercise.
Myth #6: Stretching Will Reduce Injury Risk
Stretching is good for us. It may help muscles warm up a little before movement and reduce the chances of soreness from activity. But the evidence doesn’t support the idea that stretching prevents injury. Muscle injuries are primarily caused when someone moves wrong during exercise. There’s nothing wrong with stretching, but proper technique is the goal to lower exercise injury risk.
There are many myths about working out, and some might even have a basis of truth in some cases. Researching what information is accurate and what’s a myth needs to be our goal so we can each get healthy exercise as safely and effectively as possible.
~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension
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