I’ve worked with many clients in a gym for the past 4+ years, so I have heard a lot of nonsense regarding weight loss. Some of this non-sense even came from the mouths of the so-called expert personal trainers.
Here are a few of the most common things I hear that make me want to run up to the person saying it and yell “You Idiot!”. But I keep my cool and simply roll my eyes.
1) The Fat Burning Zone is Where You Should Maintain Your Heart Rate
The “Fat Burning Zone”, notice the quotes, is a myth based on misinformation. It was created by people looking for a good gimmick who didn’t bother to think things through.
Basically, the fat burning zone myth states that there is a certain percentage of you maximum heart rate, actually fairly low, at which your body will burn the most fat. This is the level you would work out at if you pressed the “fat burning” button on your cardio machine at the gym.
Man, I hate those buttons!
In actuality, at this level, you will burn the greatest percentage of your calories from fat. That does not mean you will burn the most total calories from fat. The funniest part is, as you will see in my reaction to lie #2, it’s probably not even the fat that you should be concerned with burning in the first place!
But let me put it another way to hammer this point home.
Say, for example, you burn 300 calories in 30 minutes working at an average of 80% of you max heart rate with 60% of those calories coming from fat.
Conversely, for another example, let’s say you burn 150 calories working at 45% of your max heart rate for 30 minutes, with 100% of those calories coming from fat.
According to the “Fat Burning Zone”, the second example is better because you are maximizing your fat-burning percentage.
In reality, however, you actually burn 30 fewer calories from fat and 150 fewer calories overall by staying in this “Fat Burning Zone”.
I could come up with other examples that make the “Fat Burning Zone” theorists sound really stupid, but we both have better things to be doing with our time.
Just don’t look at that “Fat Burning” button at the gym, or any of the buttons for that matter!
2) You Need to Exercise Continuously for More Than 20 Minutes to Burn Fat
This myth is similar to the first one in that it is based on carelessness. It may be true that it takes 20 minutes of continuous exercise to begin using fat as energy.
Fair enough.
But working at higher intensities, up to that 20 minute point, you can use a whole lot of carbohydrates as energy. And let’s think, what do carbohydrates get stored as in the body?
Fat!
Personally, I focus on burning as many carbohydrates as possible to avoid storing extra bodyfat. To do so, I use shorter bouts of intense work during my workouts. Yes, most of my workouts are 45-minutes to an hour so I will use some fat as fuel, too. But that is not my primary concern.
As long as you’re not working out too long at too low an intensity, causing you to use muscle tissue for energy, you want to burn as much stuff as possible by working at relatively high intensities in relatively short bursts.
3) Cardio is Superior to Resistance Training to Lose Weight
Not true. Cardio, and by cardio I mean aerobic exercise, is good for burning some extra calories but not much more. Resistance training burns more calories per minute of exercise, builds muscle to increase metabolism, and creates a greater post-exercise caloric expenditure as the body works to return to a resting state.
For weight loss purposes, 45 minutes of resistance training three times per week with little cardio mixed in is far superior to 60 minutes of cardio everyday with a little resistance training mixed in.
And don’t worry, you won’t get huge unless you really want to!
4) Do Lighter Weight and More Reps to Tone Muscles
If by muscle tone you mean small, weak muscles with fat around them, then yes, lighter weight and more reps is better.
But if by tone, you mean a solid, defined muscle with little fat around it, then you probably want to work in the 6-12 rep range. This will make you work at a higher intensity, which is better for muscle growth, maintenance, and fat loss.
And no, you won’t get huge as long as you stick to 1-2 sets and don’t eat like someone who wants to get huge.
5) The Crunch is the Best Exercise For a Flat Stomach
Nope. Crunches are generally a waste of time unless you want huge abs and a bad back. Crunches build your abdominal muscles just like a chest press builds your chest. They do not work very well for getting rid of belly fat.
To get rid of belly fat you need a combination of a solid nutrition plan and a total body exercise plan. To work the muscle in the core area, stick to exercises like planks, woodchops, and mountain climbers. These will strengthen your core to protect your lower back rather than putting extra pressure on it.
If you’ve spent time in a gym or read some magazines, you’ve probably heard most of these lies and half-truths things before. There is so much information in the world today when it comes to weight loss. Hopefully, what I said in this article makes sense and clears up some common misconceptions for you. There are many others, but this is a good start.
Don’t be fooled by the fools!
Trending Products
Source link
