Fact or Fad?

Fitness Facts and Fads 

When it comes to fitness, everyone has different opinions on what works, and sometimes it seems there are hundreds of different ideas - which can get confusing for anyone just starting the gym. If we hear something so many times, we just assume it’s true! But let’s really investigate the fitness facts and fads!

“The more you sweat, the more calories you burn.”
FALSE! Sweat is how your body cools itself down. It doesn’t equate to calories burned. 

“Muscle weighs more than fat.”
FALSE! Whether it’s a kilo of muscle or a kilo of fat, a kilo is still a kilo; however, they differ in density.

“You cannot target weight loss.”
TRUE! It is not possible to target specific areas for weight loss, for example, belly fat. However, general weight loss will help shrink your waistline and help reduce the visceral fat. Although spot reduction is impossible, you can work on specific areas to tone and define. 

“It’s important to warm up before a workout.”
TRUE! A warmup is an essential part of your workout routine as it gradually builds up your cardiovascular system by raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to your muscles. Warming up may also help reduce muscle soreness and lessen your risk of injury.

“Rest days aren’t necessary.”
FALSE! Rest days are just as important as exercise! Taking regular breaks in your fitness regime allows your body to recover and repair any damage sustained during the workouts. 

“The longer you exercise, the better the result.”
FALSE! The truth is longer workouts aren’t necessarily more effective. The main factor is the quality of your workouts. 30 minutes of working out is just as effective as 60. Quality beats quantity!

“Exercise can help to improve mental health.”
TRUE! The benefits of exercise go beyond just improving our physical wellbeing. Exercise is a natural and effective way to help improve our mental wellbeing too! When we exercise, our bodies release chemicals known as endorphins which boosts our sense of emotional wellbeing and helps to reduce levels of stress and anxiety.