Fitness Myths

Myths are not just limited to old time storybooks, or the children's fiction section at the library. Myths also exist in the fitness world, and have led people to practice some habits, which may not be as healthy as they believed them to be. Here are four common fitness myths that pop up on a regular basis in the fitness world.

Myth 1, Eating at night will cause me to gain body fat. There are many people who believe that consuming calories in the evening before bed will cause them to gain unwanted body fat. Actually, the body maintains a very aerobic state while we are asleep. Therefore, the calories that are consumed in the evening will be utilized and burned by your body. Eating in the evening is important because it will prevent large time gaps between the last meal of the day and breakfast. For instance, if someone eats dinner at around six o'clock and doesn't again until the next morning, they could be putting their body through a 10-15 hour fast. The body needs nutrients to function properly. Eating an evening snack will continue to nourish the body before you go to sleep.

Myth 2, Diet sodas are an acceptable replacement to water consumption. An occasional diet beverage is not a problem, but replacing water intake completely with diet beverages can cause some severe problems. People should consume a minimum of 8-12 glasses of water a day. Diet beverages can strip the body of important vitamins and minerals. Also, some diet beverages can also cause the body to lose water, which can accelerate dehydration especially if the person is not currently drinking any water. Water is one of the most important resources to our body; therefore, it is important to make water the foundation of all the beverages that you drink. Use diet and other beverages sparingly to make room for your daily water intake.

Myth 3, If the package says fat free, then it's good for me. One of the best things to remember about food is that at the end of the day all that matters is how many calories did you eat. Obviously it's good to have a balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in your daily food intake, but the amount of calories that you eat is more important than the amount of fat you took in during the course of the day. Fat-free items often are loaded with preservatives, and while they may have no fat, a lot of these fat-free items can be loaded with calories. Be careful! It is easy to consume a thousand calories in one sitting with fat-free snacks. Remember that creating a calorie deficit with your food intake will assist you in your fat-loss goals more so than eliminating all the fat from your diet.

Myth 4, More is better when it comes to working out. One of the biggest misconceptions in the gym is the belief that in order for people to reach their fitness goals that they need to workout six to seven times a week. Remember the body needs anywhere from 48-96 hours to recuperate from exercise. Growth takes place when we rest our bodies after we workout. If we don't allow for enough rest time, our growth will be hampered and possible workout plateaus will occur. Try exercising 3 days a week, and allow at least one day in between workouts for proper rest.

Chad Doing is a personal trainer for Nautilus Plus in Portland, Oregon.