There is so much conflicting information on exercise and diet.
For someone navigating through their fitness journey, it can be hard to dispell the myths from facts. Myths and facts differ from opinions. There are opinions, and that is ok, sure. Sometimes, different methods work for different people.
BUT
There are some fitness myths that are just completely and utterly wrong.
Here are 13 Myths about Exercise and Diet that are Completely False
- You need Cardio to Lose Weight
- You can turn Fat into Muscle
- Lifting weights will make you big and bulky
- Increasing protein significantly when Starting Weight Training is not necessary
- You must go low carbs to lose weight
- You cannot have your favorite foods when losing weight
- You have to eat very little to lose weight
- You can do specific exercises to get rid of belly fat
- Eating at night, or before bed, will cause weight gain
- You need exercise to lose weight
- You need to be motivated to exercise and lose weight
- You don’t have time
Let’s get into each one of these 12 myths and give you real facts and information from experience, that has been backed up by science.
1. You need Cardio to Lose Weight
Many people will jump on the treadmill and begin running everyday, for sometimes long durations, the minute they decide they want to lose weight. This isn’t necessary because cardio for weight loss isn’t necessary.
Your weight loss comes from your body burning more calories (energy) and than it consumes. Theoretically, you can lose weight on dieting alone and never step on a treadmill.
Cardio will simply speed up the process by burning more calories.
2. You can turn fat into muscle
Muscle and fat are two different elements in your body.
Muscle is an actual tissue in your body.
Fat is simply excess stored energy.
When you begin to lose weight, that stored excess energy (fat) begins to be used. If you don’t strength train nor consume a protein rich diet, your muscle tissues can be used for energy as well as you go on losing weight.
Technically, a complete beginner with a good strength training program, diet and considerable amount of fat to lose can “turn fat into muscle”.
How?
As you see, your body isn’t necessarily taking that big piece of lard and hardening it “into muscle”. The body is simply using energy from fat stores to help the muscle building process.
3. Lifting weights will make you big and bulky
This is just such a flawed notion. The only thing lifting weights will do is help and improve your overall health from keeping your bones strong and healthy to strengthening your heart and decreasing blood pressure.
Just because you lift weights doesn’t mean you will automatically become Mr. Olympia overnight.
Getting “big and bulky” , which means just having a lot of muscle for your frame, takes years of hard work, consistency, lifting heavy and precise nutrition.
Whether you are doing compound exercises, light reps, heavy reps, machines or free weights, simply continue on a strength training program until you are satisfied with your degree of functionality and/or level of muscularity. Once you are satisfied maintain it!
You won’t get big and bulky like the hulk, women included, we promise!
4. Increasing protein significantly when Starting Weight Training is not necessary
20 years ago it was popular belief that if your goal was to put on muscle, along with strength training, your diet should consist of a super high protein diet. The old standard of 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight has been thrown aside as unnecessary and actually now considered a “myth” amongst many circles.
We here are going to tell you that the real myth is the myth telling you, “you don’t need that much protein.”
The average person can get away with 0.8g/kg of body weight, or 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
That would equate to an average 150lbs person needing only 54grams of Protein daily.
The problem is when you are on a journey to improve your body composition, lose fat, maintain or gain muscle, your body is not operating on “average” grounds. You are breaking down more muscle, repairing more muscle, and putting your body through more stress with strength training workouts.
Many studies have shown that a considerable amount of more protein is not only safe, but needed for people who workout regularly.
If you workout regularly, 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight would be more beneficial.
5. You must cut carbs in order to lose weight
This is another misconception which we explained fully in our Carbs are the Not Problem post/article.
Manipulation of carbs is sometimes necessary for achieving a certain body composition, maintaining/gaining muscle or for health reasons…
BUT
At the end of the day what causes weight loss is a restriction of calories.
If your body needs 2,000 calories to maintain it’s weight and you feed it 1,500, it will lose weight. It doesn’t matter if it comes from carbs, proteins or fats…IT WILL LOSE THE WEIGHT.
6. You cannot have your favorite foods when losing weight
I had a co-worker who every now and then would start a “new diet” to “shed some pounds.”
He would bring in two meals for work:
- old refrigerated bland fish with broccoli
- dried chicken breast, no seasoning, with brussel sprouts.
A few weeks later he falls off his diet.
Why?
Because he restricted himself too soon.
When it comes to starting a weight loss diet you can’t go from eating whatever you want, to a super strict diet you do not enjoy. You have to somewhat enjoy your food even when you are “dieting”.
As long as your meeting your calorie deficit goal, and are eating mostly nutritionally dense foods, do not be afraid to experiment making different meals or even having something you enjoy!
Many times on a “fat loss diet” I will have a slice of pizza and include it as part of my diet. This will help keep your cravings, hunger and sanity in check!
7. You have to eat very little to lose weight.
This goes hand in hand with the myth of not being able to have your favorite foods when losing weight.
If you start consuming very little food from the beginning, you will fail.
This is especially true for those who have a considerable amount of fat to lose.
For example, let’s say you need 2500 calories to lose weight…but you have 30lbs of fat to lose and want to “lose the weight fast” so you start eating 1500 calories.
Sure, you will lose weight. You will think it’s working for the first few weeks, but then your body will stop losing weight. You will wonder what is happening and be frustrated because you still have 20lbs to lose.
What will you do then? Cut more calories? You are already on a starvation diet.
The reality is most people will give up because they started too strong, too aggressive and too fast
Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint.
If this person started with 2500 calories, he would have still lost weight but now when he or she stalled, they would have had room to deduct calories and continue the weight loss process!
8. You can do specific exercises to get rid of belly fat
You cannot spot reduce. Read that again.
YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE.
When people start losing weight they will start losing weight in different places depending on their genetics.
Some people lose weight in their stomach first, others in their upper body (shoulders, chest), some in their butt…you cannot control that.
Your body will decide where it wants to lose fat from first.
There is no exercise to make a specific bodypart lose fat first. There just isn’t.
9. Eating at night before bed will cause you to gain weight
Man, how many times have you heard this one!
This is such uneducated, regurgitated, bull poop!!
Can we say bull poop?
Let’s remember the fact that what is needed for weight loss is a CALORIE DEFICIT.
Say our speedo wearing friend Tom needs to take in under 2,500 calories to lose weight, so he begins eating 2,000 calories.
This means his body will have to tap into his excess energy storage (fat) and burn those calories.
Now it doesn’t matter when Tom eats those 2,000 calories in the 24 hour period.
In the morning, afternoon, in the evening, at night…it doesn’t matter!
His body is STILL only getting 2,000 calories in a day and it is less than he needs so his body will still burn excess energy (fat storage) and he will lose weight.
On the contrary, when in a fat loss phase I actually eat A LOT MORE during the night.
Why?
Because it’s when I get the hungriest. In a diet you want to find tips and tricks to help you get through, and if allocating your biggest meals to the times you feel the hungriest helps you…do it!
It is also much easier to sleep after eating some carbs!
10. You need to exercise to lose weight
Although exercise should be a staple in everyone’s life in one form or another for its unbelievable health benefits, believe it or not, it is not NEEDED to lose weight.
If your body burns more calories then it uses, you will lose the weight. Period.
This can be through increasing physical activity, decreasing food, or a combination of both.
11.You need to be motivated to lose weight
“Wow, I wish I was motivated like you!”
“I just don’t have the motivation!”
Motivation is bullshit.
Motivation gets you started, but it doesn’t finish the job. Motivation is fleeting. What you need is discipline.
I can honestly say that about 60% of the time I DO NOT FEEL like going to the gym.
I just know I rather suck it up than feel and look like most of America.
That to me is motivation enough. To be able to look and feel good. To be able to provide an example to my children on the importance of physical fitness. To be able to feel strong and healthy.
Here are some ways to get that motivation going so you can turn it into discipline!
12. You don’t have time
I remember when I was getting married.
The priest my wife and I met asked me if I go to church regularly.
I told him I don’t and said it is because I don’t have the time, and sometimes work on Sundays.
He looked me up and down and said
“but you have time to go to the gym, dont you? We all make time for things we truly want in our lives.”
And he was right. Church wasn’t a priority, but the gym was.
Everyone has time. EVERYONE. There are 24 hours in a day. Your workouts don’t have to be 2 hours. Even a quick 30 minute workout counts.
As parents, it’s hard. Trust us we know! Here are some great ways to stay fit as a parent.
In conclusion, fitness doesn’t have to be complicated but be wary of who you are getting you information from. Make fitness fit into your life, so it becomes a lifestyle, not a chore.
