If you asked someone what it takes to achieve their fitness goals, you’d get a lot of different answers. Some may say that all it takes is willpower, some might tell you that you should just diet, and others might suggest working out and eating as you please.
Everyone is different, there isn’t an ideal plan for everybody. What works for you might not work for others and vice versa.
So we here at ILKB have decided to debunk the biggest myths about health and fitness that we’ve been hearing:
1. Find your ideal exercise & keep at it.
Although you may be aiming to add muscle bulk in certain areas, it’s important to switch up your routine every now and then. No one likes a guy who skips leg day too often, but that’s beside the point.
Constantly working out the same muscles, day in and day out, will very often lead to injury. Each of your workout routines should include resistance training, cardio as well as flexibility.
2. Getting fit is about sacrifice and putting the time in.
Although it takes consistency and an extra hour or so of your time when you do decide to workout, many people believe working out will leave you exhausted and without focus.
You may think you’ll have a hard time focusing at work if you’ve hit the gym that morning. That’s not the case at all, it’s actually the complete opposite. Thanks to endorphins and some other variables, working out will leave you m
ore alert, focused and energetic.
3. You should be losing weight.
Instead of trying to lose weight, you should be trying to make yourself stronger. Doing a ton of cardio to burn fat, especially if it’s consistent, low-intensity cardio, can actually be counter-productive.
What you really should be looking to achieve is a good ratio of muscle to fat. Your body composition is what matters most, not the numbers that show up on the scale.
4. You should be getting results quickly.
Those “get rich quick” schemes you see advertised all the time are almost always a fraud. The same can be said for the “lose X lbs in X days” advertisements.
If you want to become physically fit, it’s going to require a lifestyle change. You will have to rely on your will power and determination. Take it easy at first, don’t beat yourself up if you’ve strayed from the path. Get back on it and keep at it.
5. Extreme dieting is beneficial.
All those diets that claim you’ll “lose X lbs in X weeks” or “drop a dress size in a week” are almost always lying. The odds of that happening are slim.
It’s not impossible, but even if you were to drop a dr
ess size in a week, it’s not going to last. When you get off the diet, you’ll put that weight back on and then some, most likely.
6. Physical results are all that matters.
To begin noticing any physical change in your body, you’ll need to wait a pretty significant amount of time. Anything worth having is worth waiting for.
However, a lot of people seem to forget all of the other benefits working out can give you. Virtually immediately, you’ll find yourself able to sleep better, feeling more energetic and in a better mood overall. It’s those endorphins at work again…
7. Rest, while important, doesn’t help you gain any muscle.
It’s important to get into the gym fairly often. It’s also important to give your body time to recover from the rigors of intense training.
If you’re physically demanding your body to train more than you’re allowing it to rest, it may very well result in injury. You may also find yourself plateauing, being unable to add weight to your sets. Believe it or not, you could actually end up losing strength.
8. As long as I’m working out, I can eat however I’d like.
Unfortunately, we’re not all born with the same metabolism as say Michael Phelps. He can consume 3,000 calories a day and ultimately end up still looking like the same Olympic athlete.
Many people who’ve gone through a physical transformation can attest to this – becoming fit is 30% working out and 70% your diet. Change your diet and stick to your fitness routine and you’ll see the pounds shed more efficiently.
9. Ab work will strengthen my core.
Your “core” isn’t just your abs. Your core actually extends from your neck all the way down to your hip flexors. So working out your core goes much further than planks and crunches. It’s just as important to train your back as it is your abs.
If you don’t balance training to attack both the front and back sides of your core, you’ll ultimately leave yourself much more susceptible to injury.
10. No carbs = faster results.
Carbs are your source for fuel. How can you expect to work out if you don’t have any energy?
Pasta parties on the night before games for sports teams aren’t going to waste. Things like pasta and other grains are naturally high in carbs and give you the energy to perform. By removing carbs from your diet, you’re essentially limiting yourself in your workout.
Can you think of any other misconceptions that need to be put to rest? Leave a comment and tell us!
from Official iLoveKickboxing Blog http://bit.ly/1IL4n5c
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