Fitness Friday: Common Fitness Faux Pas

As we get older and time goes on, it seems like the things we learned when we were younger are no longer. I remember being shocked when my son was born that they didn’t  recommended swabbing the umbilical cord with rubbing alcohol like in the past – they actually said  keeping it dry would help  it would fall off sooner – and sure enough, within a few days I found it in his onsie, instead of  a few weeks later. So just like having kids, cooking, and talks about health, etc, things have changed in the world of  fitness as well.

• You can target your fat burn – FALSE
   Working out can reduce your overall body fat, but you can’t control where that fat comes from.
• You shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach – FALSE
  Your body burns more fat when you hit the gym before you eat.
• No pain, no gain – FALSE
  A little discomfort is okay, but if you feel a sharp pain anywhere, stop what you’re doing and consult a doctor.
• You should stretch before you work out – FALSE
• Stretching loosens your tendons, and makes muscles feel weaker and less steady, according to a new study. So a pre-workout stretch can actually mess with your workout.
• Lifting heavy weights bulks you up – FALSE
   Actually, it can slim you down. Women who lift a challenging weight for eight reps burn nearly twice as many calories as women who do 15 reps with lighter dumbbells (see last week’s Fitness Friday for
  more information about weight lifting helping with weight loss).
•  Running on a treadmill is as effective as running outside –FALSE
  Because running against wind or on uneven terrain engages more of your muscles, it requires more energy and ends up burning about 10 percent more calories than running the same distance on a treadmill.
• You shouldn’t work out every day –FALSE
   Rest should be part of your workout, not an alternative to your workout
• You can’t work out when you’re sick – FALSE
  As long as you don’t have a fever and your symptoms are above the neck (think: stuffy nose or sore throat, not chest congestion or indigestion), you can totally hit the gym. Just listen to your body—or ask your doc if you’re unsure.|
• Sweating means you’re out of shape – FALSE 
  It sounds counterintuitive, but the fitter you are, the sooner your body begins to sweat, so a person who’s in extremely good shape will produce more sweat than somebody who isn’t.
• Crunches are the best moves for your core –FALSE
  To really cinch your waistline, you’re better off doing multi-muscle exercises that target every region of your core
• Running beats walking – FALSE
  Since walking and running target the same muscle groups—just at different intensities—they come with similar health results when you compare overall energy burn. . (That said, it takes about twice the amount of time to expend the same amount of energy walking as you would running. So running still wins if you’re strapped for time.)

Adapted from Women’s Health Magazine