Myths and Facts of Exercise

Myth
When training, body fat can turn into muscle. Therefore when someone stops training the muscle will turn back into fat.

Fact
Muscle and fat are different things. They can’t turn into each other in any shape or form. When you train you burn calories you are likely to burn fat and increase muscle tone, thus creating the illusion of fat turning to muscle. This also applies the other way round. When you stop training your body increases body fat but loses muscle tone.

Myth
Working the area of the body where body fat exists reduces body fat, e.g. to lose fat around the stomach area do lots of sit ups.

Fact
To reduce body fat you need to burn calories. Therefore, the most effective way of reducing body fat is through cardiovascular exercise. You can not choose the area of the body you want to lose fat your body will burn fat from any area regardless of the exercise you’re doing.

Myth
Skipping meals and sticking to a very low calorie diet for a couple of weeks will reduce my weight and body fat very quickly, enabling me to reach my goal weight more quickly.

Fact 
When eating irregularly your body thinks it is being starved so it becomes very efficient in saving energy by causing your metabolism to slow down. Also, if your calorie intake is too low, your body will use lean muscle as energy, which is  something you DON’T want to do. It doesn’t matter how little you eat 3 lbs of body fat a week is the most you can burn, any excess weight loss is lean muscle or body water.

Myth
If you didn't exercise when you were younger, it could be dangerous to start when you're older.

Fact
You're never too old to start. Studies performed on ageing people; and on people suffering from chronic disease, such as arthritis, show that they enjoy great benefits. Exercise can reduce pain and increase the range of motion, strength, and mobility. That's not to suggest, however, that anyone can leap into a session of vigorous exercise, regardless of their health history.

It cannot be emphasised enough that anyone who has not exercised for some time, is overweight, has other risk factors for heart disease or any other medical condition, should start moderately  or in certain cases seek medical advice.

Myth
Weight gain is inevitable as you get older.

Fact
Most people get fatter as they age – but they don't have to. It's nothing to do with getting older – its all about becoming more sedentary. A reduced physical activity level lowers the metabolic rate. This causes a gradual increase in the percentage of body fat, and produces a steadily decreasing calorie requirement because fat cells burn fewer calories than muscle cells. A lower metabolic rate means that unless you eat less, you'll gradually gain weight over the decades. But exercise can set a two-pronged attack on middle-age spread and muscle loss. Firstly, any activity makes you burn more calories, and secondly, strength-training can offset the loss of muscle mass.

Myth
I find this exercise hard and unpleasant therefore it must be doing me good.

Fact
Doing exercises you dislike or find difficult is often because your working an area of the body you haven’t used for a long time, or a movement you haven’t done much. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting maximum benefit from your training to suit your own personal goals. Doing exercises you enjoy is often better as you’re more likely to continue over a longer period of time.