I am in the gym the biggest part of my day. I have seen some very interesting sights over the years believe me, but the most interesting thing is some of the conversations that I overheard in the gym. Everyone has an opinion on the best way to lose weight, build muscle and become a lean mean machine. They have read a book, talked to a friend, or viewed an infomercial that sparked their interest. The good news is that they are in the gym working out; the bad news is they may be following advice that is not necessarily true and may not be effective or could possibly cause injury.
There are many myths out there, and as I have mentioned on several occasions, the world of wellness changes as we learn more about human movement. Research is constantly being updated so it is very important to keep your wellness notebook updated with the latest data. According to an article titled “4 Myths That Won’t Go Away” by Jessica Matthews, MS, E-RYT and Exercise Physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, here are a few corrections on common myths.
- Myth: If you want to lose weight, only eat when you are really hungry; skip meals if you are not.
- Truth: Regularly skipping meals like breakfast, or waiting until you are famished to eat your next meal may seem like a sure fire way to save calories. However, more often than not, people with these sporadic eating habits often struggle with weight loss as well as weight maintenance because they feel more deprived leading them to make poorer food choices or simple overindulge the next time they eat. When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, researchers for the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) found that evenly spacing healthy food consumption throughout the entire days is a key aspect of success. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to consume less dietary fat, snack less impulsively, and engage in slightly more physical activity than whose who skip breakfast.
- Myth: Drawing your belly button to your spine is the best way to protect your back from injury during exercise.
- Truth: While the act of drawing the belly button toward the spine does in fact activate the traverse abdominis (the deep muscles of the core) a growing body of research in recent years has found that this technique can decrease stability in some situations. A better answer is to simply activate and stiffen your abdominals — almost like you are about to be punched in the stomach. This contraction is called bracing, and it activates all the major muscles that girdle the spine helping to enhance the stability of the spine and also improve performance.
- Myth: The more you sweat the more calories you burn.
- Truth: Sweating is the process your body uses to maintain its normal temperature. Essentially, you begin to sweat when your body starts to store heat because the body experiences a cooling effect when sweat evaporates. How much you sweat does not correlate with how many calories you are expending. Sorry to break it to you, but the idea of wearing more clothes when working out, to increase perspiration, does not result in more calories burned.
When it comes to the number of calories burned, duration (how long you exercise) and intensity (how hard you exercise) are what matters, so resist the temptation to gauge the effectiveness of your workout solely based on how much you sweat.
- Myth: Being skinny means you are fit and healthy.
- Truth: Although some individuals are genetically able to maintain a healthy weight without exercising or watching what they eat, sporting a thin frame does not necessarily protect anyone from the health risks that come along with poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. Focus on more than just the number displaying on the scale. The complete picture of wellness will not be the number on the scales; it encompasses what is going on internally as well. You may be skinny on the outside but unhealthy on the inside.
See you in the gym.
Linda Stollings is a personal fitness trainer in Bristol, Tenn. Email her at lstollings@fitprescriptions.com.
