MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS OF FITNESS

Everyone wants a slim suave figure and heads to a gym to work out and get trim. Fitness has its own share of myths and misconceptions

SHIVANI ARORA

Almost everyone heads to a gym these days. If the guys want six pack abs the girls want well toned hips and thighs. Working out is good but there are several myths and misconceptions which shroud fitness. Dr Earnest Vijay, fitness director, O2 Health Studio dispels some of these myths.

MYTH 1

Doing crunches helps to get six pack abs

This is not true. Men do crunches for abs and women do for well toned hips and thighs. The truth is that crunches only work on the muscles and not on the fat. If you see a Surya or a Hrithik Roshan with six pack abs remember they haven’t had a sip of water for over 24 hours to get that look! So crunches alone don’t help to get six packs.

MYTH 2

SPOT REDUCTION- DOES IT WORK?

People come to the gym saying they want spot reduction. They want to lose weight only on the arms not on the face, only on the face not on the cheeks etc. The truth is that you cannot choose and loose in exercise. Fat loss is an overall phenomenon is exercise and also based on genetics. We say what is the first to come is the last to go! So spot reduction doesn’t work for sure!

MYTH 3

CRASH DIETING- HOW EFFECTIVE?

People follow crash diets and they do loose weight but it piles back in no time. These crash diets have no proper balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Most of them are high in protein and are un healthy because they don’t give the body the required minerals. It is important to consult a dietician and take the recommended dietaty allowances according to the body weight and it should be a plan that can be followed for a life time.

MYTH 4

YO YO EFFECT

There is a huge misconception that you lose weight when you are exercising in the gym and when you stop gymming you gain back double the weight. This is not true. You won’t gain more if you maintain a certain level of physical activity even outside the gym and also continue to follow the diet. It is only when you don’t burn the calories you consume it gets stored as fat and tend to put on weight.

MYTH 5

WEIGHT TRAINING BUILDS MUSCLES

Many women don’t do weight training because they think they will build up muscles. The truth is that women have no hormones which can cause muscles to build up. Weight training actually helps to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis in women.

MYTH 6

DO YOU NEED SUPPLEMENTS?

Proteins and fat burners are not required if you are eating healthy and working out well. The recommended protein requirement is 1 gram of protein per kg body weight per day and this we get from our diet itself. Fat burners cause adverse effects to the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

MYTH 7

DON’T TAKE WATER WHILE WORKING OUT?

Water is needed before, during and after exercise. The best is to weight yourself before the work out and after the work out and consume as much water as the weight you have lost during the work out. It is important to remain well hydrated to prevent cramps, heat strokes and it helps you perform better in the gym.

MYTH 8

YOGA HELPS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Fitness involves a cardio vascular fitness, muscle strengthening, flexibility and body composition and there is a specific exercise for all. Yoga helps only the flexibility, stress and improves the breathing capacity. One needs to do specific exercises for specific goals and yoga alone may not help for weight loss.

MYTH 9

EXERCISE CAUSES OVER EATING

Moderately intense exercise does not cause over eating. This means you don’t go out of breath while exercise. Only people who over do it, get completely breathless end up over eating after exerciseing.

MYTH 10

SKIPPING MEALS- DOES IT HELP?

It is said that those who skip breakfast to lose weight usually end up eating 100 calories more than required for lunch. It is important to break meals into 5 portions and have balanced quantities of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in them. A well balanced meal is important to keep the body healthy.

So all you fitness freaks out there….make sure you eat healthy, exercise well, don’t believe in myths that misguide you! A simple work out, a healthy diet and a positive frame of mind can all get you to the figure you always dreamt of!