When embarking on your fitness journey, you’ve heard of the Dos and Don’ts when it comes to training. I will share with you 5 False Myths on Exercise that you’ve been led to believe and what you should do to reach your goals.
Myth #1 : “For efficient loss of body fat, I must maintain in the fat burning zone”
If you’re new to training, you’d probably refer to this chart to choose your intensity. However, here are some statistics on substrate utilization with different training intensities.
Low Intensity Load (50-65% VO2 Max) High Intensity Load (80-100% VO2 Max)
800 kcal in 95 minutes: 800 kcal in 60 minutes:
480 kcal from Fats 200 kcal from Fats
320 kcal from Carbs 600 kcal from Carbs
Indeed Low Intensity is effective in burning calories however, that is not the only way to lose fat. Keeping the Intensity Low, the energy expenditure requires more time and it has lesser effect on your physical fitness. Switch to a High Intensity Load, you will lose fat quicker and reap all the health benefits.
Myth : #2 “Perceived Exertion is a reliable indicator of energy expenditure”
Did you know, the energy consumption in one push up is the same as in one running step? Surprised? But how is it even possible? – Well, it depends on the size of the muscle group activated.
We are constantly using our leg muscles all day. But how often do we use our chest muscles? I bet rarely. This is why perceived exertion is an inaccurate indicator for energy expenditure. One person may have trouble training a body part, whereas the other may differ. It all depends on the individual and the size of the muscle group activated.
Find out what are your weak muscle muscle groups. From there, come up with an intensity plan. If it is a large muscle group, the intensity should be at 70-85%. Whereas smaller muscle groups should be within 60-70%.
Myth #3 “It is possible to achieve local fat loss by means of exercising muscle groups close to it.”
I bet you’re guilty of this at least once in your lifetime. 100 crunches a day and still not seeing results. – There is no such thing as spot reduction fat loss.
Doing sit ups has a low energy demand despite of considerable perceived subjective effort. Fat loss takes place in all body fat stores and not independently on the muscle groups activated. When you work on a specific body part, you are strengthening the muscle not burning fat in that area.
The key to a low body fat is through cardiovascular exercises and a healthy diet. When you’re doing cardiovascular exercise, your body will automatically burn calories. You can’t spot reduce fat on your waist, it will naturally burn fats around your body.
Afterwards, maintain a healthy diet. When you exercise, you deprived yourself from nutrients, all your muscles are starving. It is important to replenish your body with quality food as your body will absorb everything that you consume after exercise.
Myth #4 :“If there is no weight loss in spite of regular exercises, should I stop the workout program entirely?”
Continue with your program! – Just because you’re not losing weight doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.
Regular exercise increases physical fitness and reduces your risks of getting diabetes, hypertension and heart related diseases.
Stay dedicated and keep grinding! Physical fitness is more important than overall aesthetics.
Myth #5 “Delayed muscle soreness is caused by accumulation of lactic acid in muscle groups exercised.”
