Nowadays, there are so many self-proclaimed nutritionists and fitness coaches that we sometimes don’t know what to believe anymore. Some people say you should eat smaller meals 6 times a day in order to lose weight. Others say that you should only have 3 meals and that breakfast should be the biggest meal and the highest in calories. It can be really frustrating for people who want to switch to a more healthy lifestyle and get in shape.
We would like to squash some of the most popular fitness-related myths.
Myth #1: A low-carb diet is the only way to lose weight.
Low-carb diets work excellent when it comes to weight loss, but they have some disadvantages when it comes to long-term health. One of the main reasons for the low-carb diet’s popularity is that you quickly see amazing results due to the drop in water weight. Unfortunately, some people experience a lack of energy when they cut carbs out of their diet. Remember that a low-carb diet isn’t the only way to lose fat, you can try low-fat or low-protein diets, for example.
Myth #2: You shouldn’t eat past 6 P.M.
We all have heard the phrase, “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” at least once in our lives. A lot of people believe that you can’t eat anything after 6 P.M., but that’s not exactly true. Recent studies suggest that it doesn’t matter when you eat, but rather, how many calories you consume. So the most important rule is to burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight.
Myth #3: Eat smaller portions more frequently throughout the day.
Eating smaller meals more frequently to boost your metabolism and help you lose weight is also a myth. In fact, a recent study has proven that people who eat more than 3 times a day weigh more than those who eat less frequently. Also, people who have meals 5 or 6 times a day tend to overeat.
Myth #4: The more time you spend at the gym, the more results you’ll see.
When it comes to the gym, the most important thing is the quality of your training, not its length. You can spend up to 4 hours in a gym every day, but you won’t see results if you don’t know what you’re doing. Some of the most effective workouts last just 15 minutes.
Myth #5: The anabolic window
The anabolic window is a 30-minute period after a workout during which nutrition can boost your training results. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence that proves anabolic windows actually exist. Research shows that there is a questionable connection between the nutrients consumed right after a workout and better training results.
Myth #6: Fat makes you fat.
Fat has 9 calories per gram while protein has only 4 calories per gram. That is why you should eat high-fat foods carefully. But it doesn’t mean that you should completely cut out all fats from your diet. In order to lose weight, just count your calorie intake and balance fats, protein, and carbs.
Myth #7: You will gain weight as you grow older.
You won’t gain excessive weight as you grow older as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you have been working out all your life, you should be just fine at 50 or 70 years old. The key to staying fit is life-long exercising. That’s right, you should hit the gym consistently, and not just to get that perfect beach body!
Myth #8: The workout is effective only if you feel sore.
Many people still believe that you’ve had a good workout only when you can’t move the next day, which is completely false. You feel sore after a workout when you use muscles you haven’t trained before like when you do brand new exercises. There are many factors that contribute to soreness, and even the most highly-trained people feel differently after gym.
Myth #9: Stretching before a workout
We have always been told to stretch before a workout in order to prep our bodies. Turns out, the order should be the opposite. Research revealed that people who skipped stretching were able to squat with 8.36% more weight during their training than they could after stretching. Save stretching for the end, when your muscles are ready to relax.
Myth #10: You can eat or drink anything you want during your eating window while fasting.
There are 2 important rules to follow when it comes to fasting — don’t starve yourself, and don’t overeat junk food during your eating period. You should consume enough calories, and eat as clean as you can while doing intermittent fasting in order to keep your insulin levels low. But it doesn’t mean that you can never eat or drink something unhealthy if you crave it. For example, drink black coffee with no sugar instead of your regular cappuccino.