10 Fitness Myths that need to die

Working as a trainer is a rewarding job, but it is also challenging.  Many times we encounter clients who have their own ideas about how to get in shape.  These people have been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray by fitness magazines, diet gurus, and an industry that capitalizes on insecurity and ignorance.

Guess what?  I believed a lot of these myths too at one time UNTIL I started doing my own research and realizing what ACTUALLY works.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to deal in depth with each of these, but until then:

10 Fitness Myths that need to die.

1) All Carbs are evil 

If there was one fitness myth that needs to be dead, buried, and stomped on it's this.  I cannot count the number of times people tell me they are eating no carbs, limited carbs, etc.  Do these folks stay on this type of plan long term?  Absolutely not.   It is the QUALITY of carbohydrates that people are consuming that is the problem, not carbohydrates themselves.

2) I should eat everything low fat/non fat because if I eat fat, then I will get fat 

Remember the non fat craze of the 1990's?  Everything was low fat, non fat, and all sugar and sodium.  Your body needs fat for energy and fat will help your body metabolize nutrients better

3) How do I lose weight?  Cardio, Cardio, Cardio, and Cardio yes MORE CARDIO! 

No, no, no, and NO.  This is such a mountain to climb that all I am going to say now is that you need a versatile program with weights, cardio, flexibility, and a conditioning component.

4) I can exercise 3x a week for 20 minutes and I will see my body composition change 

No, I'm sorry.  This is a falsehood.  For composition loss, 5x a week CONSISTENTLY for about an hour will yield results

5) Stomach Crunches and the Crunch Machine will give me a six pack 

Nope.  In all likelihood, you will end up with low back pain.  You may have heard it said that abs are made in the kitchen.  Abs have to do with low body fat, not stomach crunching.

6) Stretching is waste of time 

It is waste of time if you stretch for 20 seconds and call it a day. Flexibility training is a MUST.  Soft (Fascia) tissue work is a must.  Most NFL players do soft tissue work on the rollers before beginning their workouts.  You must keep your fascia tissues healthy in order to improve your performance and stave off injury

7) I don't need corrective exercise 

 If an elite athlete needs corrective exercise, then "I can't even do a squat without falling forward and my knees caving in" Joe Couch Potato needs corrective exercise

8) I workout so I can eat whatever I want 

After a workout, a trip to Coldstone is not in order.  Success begins at the cellular level with what you put in your body.  Because you are training, you need to be even more aware of what you put into your body

9) I should eat 1000 calories per day or I should eat one meal a day if I want to lose weight 

Starving is not the way unless you want a decreased metabolism and no energy.  Oh and don't forget that it will be harder to lose weight when you go back to eating a reasonable amount of calories

10)  Women should lift light weights so they won't bulk up and so they can tone -- 

No sir and no ma'am.  Remember this word: Struggleface. Examples below.