Starting in the fitness world can be overwhelming. With so many people offering conflicting information about what you should and shouldn’t do, myths can easily form, but in this article, some of the biggest myths will be debunked.
- Please note: this article is not intended to be taken as medical advice, and is meant as a light-hearted way to break down some of the common fitness myths. Please seek professional medical advice for any fitness and healthcare concerns relating to content discussed in this post.
‘I want to tone up.’
Sadly, this is not a thing. Experts say this is one of the most common things when exercising or lifting weights. First, turning fat into muscle is impossible; you can build muscle by eating protein-rich foods, but nothing can transform excessive weight into colossal muscle. If you want to build muscle, you need to supply your body with a reason to grow it; the most effective way to do this is to eat in a calorie surplus (high amount), focus on eating high amounts of protein, and lift heavy weights. To then ‘tone’, you need to eat in a calorie deficit and increase cardio; this will allow your grown muscles to show definition. Maintaining a balanced diet with higher protein is essential, but other elements must be included to remain healthy.
‘I don’t weight train because it will make me bulky.’
No, no, no and no! This fitness myth seems to never die; as weightlifting has gained popularity and skyrocketed into the media, the term ‘bulky’ has emerged, and many people seem terrified of it. Firstly, it’s tough to gain muscle; weight training is a slow, long process that takes dedication and effort; research says most women don’t start weight training because they’re scared they’ll get huge quickly and turn into CBum before the month is out. Well, the bodybuilders that are ‘bulky’ have trained strenuously for years to develop what they have, and most people are scared or don’t have the time to create the kind of muscle mass these people have.
Women generally don’t develop as much testosterone as men, and this hormone is a huge factor in muscle growth. Basically, you won’t turn into Wolverine in a week. Also, you probably aren’t eating enough. You need an excess of calories to grow muscles (women need 1,800-2,400 calories a day and more to grow muscle), so if you aren’t doing that, your muscle growth will be minimal.
Finally, most women don’t lift heavy enough for ‘optimal growth’. If you aren’t training in progress overload with your workouts and lifts, then your muscles have no encouragement to grow. Basically, if you don’t lift heavy, your muscles have no reason to grow.
‘If I don’t go to the gym today, I’ll lose my gains.’
Girl, take a break. You won’t lose all your progress in a day. Life is busy: next-day exams, that essay which you should have started last week, or you’re a 3rd year with fresher flu; not going to the gym for a few weeks won’t really make you lose muscle mass. Research says that actual muscle loss can occur after around 3 weeks of skipping your workouts, so you’ll be fine. It’s probably not ideal to not work out for 3 weeks, but it’s also okay to miss a week if needed.
‘I can only work out 4 times a week.’
That is completely fine! Some research says one workout a week is effective for muscle growth, but most would steer you towards at least four. According to other research, the magic number is 52 sets to grow muscle. Let’s say you train 4-5 exercises of 3 sets 4 times a week; then you’re on target for magical gains!
The fitness world and going to the gym are not easy journeys, but sadly, you can’t just tone up, you won’t magically turn into The Rock, or take a week off and only train four times a week! You need to stick with a routine so you can see progress, but just stay away from those pesky myths that just don’t seem to go away.