Fiction: The only way to get rid of those excess kilos is work out every day with a gut busting exercise program.

Fact: It is true that a well-designed weight resistance or cardio workout will burn calories.  However, by far the most effective strategy in weight reduction is adopting the right diet. The equation is: calories in verses calories out, only this will determine whether you’re going gain or lose body fat.  A proper approach to the way you eat together with an exercise program designed specifically for your current level of fitness is an approach that together with your commitment will deliver weight loss results.

Fiction: To get fit and lose weight will be painful.  E.g. No pain, no gain.

Fact: If you haven’t exercised for some time or if you have never exercised you can expect some muscle soreness for your first few sessions. If you experience an acute pain however as opposed to some soreness while exercising, stop immediately.  If the pain is in a joint that is not normal and might mean that you have an underling issue or you are or you have done something wrong. If the pain persists after exercise get off to your doctor.  While some soreness can be expected when you start an exercise program a good exercise professional will understand your fitness level and progress your exercises or regress them to suit you without leaving you suffering in pain for days afterwards.

Fiction: As you get older you lose muscle and put on unwanted weight.

Fact: Sorry folks this is correct……. but only if you sit on your butt and say “it is what it is” I’m totally happy with my sedentary lifestyle. Over 50’s if you get off your butt and make sure that your eating habits are healthy and you engage in a well-designed weight resistance program this does not need to be the case. You can have a good physique and be fit and healthy right into the more mature years.

 Fiction: If women engage in weight training they will bulk up and look like a body builder.

Fact: Not true unless you want to be a body builder but this would take a very substantial amount of heavy lifting with a diet regime designed for muscle gain.  The truth is that most women prefer a “Strength and Toning” program as part of a well-designed health & wellness program.

Fiction: For maximum weight loss, early morning workouts are best.

Fact: The bottom line is that to achieve effective weight loss it is simple: energy in verses energy out…… if you eat more calories than you burn during the day you’ll put on weight and if you eat less calories than you burn you will take off weight…… easy to say but for many very difficult to do.  It doesn’t matter when you work out morning noon or night!

 

Fiction: If you stop exercising your muscle turns to fat.

Fact: Muscle and fat are two different things, so that’s impossible. However, muscle does shrink when it is not used. If you stop exercising you are likely to gain fat because you are not burning as many calories. But muscle cannot transform itself into fat.

Fiction: The more out of shape you are, the longer it will take to see results from an exercise program.

Fact: The less fit you are the greater the relative improvement will be, especially in the first few weeks or months of an exercise program when, percentage-wise, the greatest gains are made.

Fiction: Heavy people have a harder time burning calories when they exercise.

Fact: The more you weigh the more calories per minute you’re guaranteed to burn when you’re doing weight-bearing exercises. It’s a simple law of physics. You’re doing more work because you’re moving a greater mass.

Fiction: If you cut fat out of your diet you will lose weight.

Fact: Reducing the total number of calories consumed daily is the key to weight loss. And cutting back on animal fats (or eliminating them altogether) is a very healthy thing to do. But certain other fats are essential to good health. Read food labels. Many low-fat or non-fat products are loaded with calories from various forms of sugar. And no one needs processed sugar.

Fiction: If you’re thin you are healthy.

Fact: Not necessarily. Sedentary thin people have a higher mortality rate than physically active but overweight people. Of course, fit people with healthy body-fat percentages are by far the healthiest of all.