Wellness Wednesday: 3 Exercise Myths Debunked

Kinetiq Health has started a new series called, Better Health in 90, to bring you health tips in 90 seconds or less from our expert clinical team.

This month we’re focusing on physical activity. From exercise best practices to motivation tips, Apex Benefits’ fitness instructors will share expert advice for all your physical health needs. In this video, Certified Group Fitness Instructor Lyndsey Isenhower explains the truth about three common fitness myths.

Read on for more information!

Health and fitness seem to have become a mainstream trend in the past decade.

Many aspects of this trend have sparked positive benefits such as eating healthier and a wide variety of fitness apps and platforms, but it has also allowed for misinformation to occur on social media and online. It can be easy to fall into the traps of the latest fitness trends, but try to turn to science and facts for the correct explanations!

Take a look at these three common fitness myths that might make you reconsider your fitness routine.

Myth No. 1: Spot reduction – Spot reduction, or the idea that we can target a certain muscle group to burn fat in that area, is not actually effective. Working out can reduce overall body fat, but you can’t control what parts of your body loses that fat. Unfortunately, doing 100 crunches a day won’t give you six-pack abs. However, doing cardiovascular and high intensity training consistently can help you lose weight all over your body, including in your abdominal region.

Myth No. 2: Lifting heavy makes you bulk up —  Lifting heavy weights will not make you bulky. Women are typically the ones that worries about this the most. However, lifting challenging weights for less repetitions can help you burn twice as many calories as lifting light weights for more repetitions. Lifting heavy weights can help you achieve a “sculpted” or “toned” physique.

Myth No. 3: Protein after exercise — After working out, you don’t need to load up on protein like most people think. The truth is, most of us get enough protein in our regular diet without using supplements. Our bodies can only digest about 12-15 grams of protein in a meal, so any more than that won’t be used to build muscle.

Deciphering facts from fiction can be challenging, especially when it seems like everyone is doing or talking about it! Make sure your fitness routine and the ideas you have about fitness are backed by science.

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