Publication: Diet Buddy
Fitness Myths! | |
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Diet Buddy - Monday, September 11, 2006
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Hello there Buddies:
I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. It's always
entertaining to get together with family and friends and
enjoy the last of the outdoors. We had a great BBQ this
past weekend along with beautiful weather, which is
something I always miss as the weather starts turning
cooler.....but then again I've been known to BBQ in the
winter. Of course outdoor activities can still be done to
the end of October, if not into November, providing Mother
Nature is being kind.
When it comes to exercise, I'm sure we all have a certain
mindset regarding how different types of physcial activities
effect us. Walking will burn extra calories and is more
aerobic, while weight lifting will build muscle and is more
for strength training.
But do we really know and understand the kind of information
we're receiving from different sources like the media,
magazines, or the fitness industry? Do we have certain
information already embedded in our brain from days gone by
we automatically think is correct, because we've heard it
for so long?
Sometimes it's hard to judge what is truth and what is
actually a myth, and many of us don't even question some
things anymore, myself included, only to discover that some
information we've been led to believe over the years may
actually just be here say, and untrue.
Today we'll explore some outdated beliefs that have even
myself, (a diet and fitness counselor) questioning what is
truth or fiction? Let's take a look at some fitness myths
that we've all thought to be the gospel truth, and set the
record straight once and for all. (from 35 fitness experts
and industry leaders that were polled):
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MYTH - "Before I work out, I should stretch to help prevent
injuries."
A 2004 literature review by the Centers of Disease Control
and Prevention confirmed what many studies had shown.
Stretching will not prevent injuries. Moreover, stretching
is not a warm-up. You're better off performing the exercise
you're about to do at a much slower intensity for about 10
minutes - walking or jogging slowly before you run; gently
swinging the club before a game of golf.
"There's actually not much data on the benefits of
stretching, although it's like God, mother and apple pie -
everyone is for it," says Dr Carl Foster, President of the
American College of Sports Medicine.
MYTH - "I don't want to bulk up, so I'm going to use really
light weights."
This is probably one of the few myths prevalant in 1986 that
persists today. "More people are realizing they need weight
work, but they still hesitate to challenge themselves," says
Nancy Kouris, manager of World Gym in Hampton Bays, New
York. "They just count to 10 reps and stop, not causing a
stimulus, not causing an adaption, so...no or minimul gain."
A 2004 study at Grand Valley State University in Allendale
Michigan, confirmed this as well; it showed that beginners
tend to choose weights that are too light to achieve any
results.
MYTH - "In order to get in shape, I need to join a gym."
Today's gyms offer a greater menu of activities and more
varied forms of exercise equipment than they did 20 years
ago, but you don't need to join one to get in shape. "Your
muscles do not know whether or not they are walking on a
treadmill, walking in a mall, walking on the street or
playing with your grandchildren in the park," says Steve
Blair, director of the Cooper Institute for Aerobics
Research in Dallas. "Going to the gym is great for those
who like to go and fit it into their schedule, but it is not
a requirement. Take your activity where you can get it!"
MYTH - "I don't want to get big, I just want to tone."
As with the previous myth, embedded within are two
falsehoods: First, that most women are capable of extreme
muscle hypertrophy or growth (they're not); second, that
muscles can be "toned" (they can't). "A muscle can only
increase or decrease in size and strength," says personal
trainer Bob Phillips of "It can't tone. When people say I
want to get "toned" they usually mean 'I want to see more
muscular definition,' and that's more of a byproduct of
their body fat percentage than of the size of their muscles."
So to really "tone up," you need to lose body fat; and for
most people that's more efficiently achieved by aerobic
exercise and dietary modification, as well as resistance
training.
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MYTH - "I'm a guy...I can't do yoga!"
Men for the most part, quake in their cross-trainers at the
very prospect of entering the yoga studio. "One thing I
hear a lot is, 'I'm not flexible enough; I can't do it,'
says John Capouya, author of Real Men Do Yoga. "That's like
saying. 'I can't lift weights...I'm not strong enough.' "You
start at whatever level of capability you're at, and you get
better by doing it...that's the point." Capouya, a serious
recreational basketball player, says that his own yoga
practice was a net gain. "Yoga gives you greater awareness
of your body in motion and better body control, which also
gives you another kind of edge in all kinds of sports."
MYTH - "Weight lifting will keep me burning calories all
day."
The so-called "hot body" theory holds that lifting weights
will enable you to, as one fitness website puts it, "rev up
your metabolism and burn calories even when you're sitting."
Enticing, but not really true: "Generally, within two hours
of exercise, your caloric expenditure is back to normal,
says Dr Bob Otto, director of Adelphi University's human
performance lab in Garden City, New York. Besides, he
notes, "You're talking about 50-60 calories per hour, at
best." That's far less efficient than simply going for a
brisk walk, which burns about 300 calories per hour.
"That's no reaon to put away the bar-bells however."
Sedentary people tend to lose at least one third of their
muscle from age 30 to 70," says Liz Neporent, co-author
(with Suzanne Schlosberg) of the Fat Free Truth.
"Consistent weight training can offset much of that
decline."
MYTH - "Running? That ruins your knees!"
While running experienced a new growth spurt in the past
decade, many, including some physicians, recommend against
it, citing the alleged strain on your knees. "There's
absolutely no evidence that running causes knee
osteoarthritis, and there's some evidence that it doesn't",
says Amy Burfooot, the executive editor of Runner's World,
who studied the scientific research on the relationship of
knee injuries to running for a recent article in the
magazine. Provided that you don't run excessive mileage (a
number of studies have shown 40 or more miles per week as a
sort of injury 'threshold') and wear proper shoes, you
shouldn't have a problem pursuing what recent evolutionary
research suggests is the activity humans have been
programmed to do for millenia.
MYTH - "Train, don't strain."
Developed as a rejoinder to the "No pain, no gain" mantra of
the 1980s, there is truth to this statement: Beginners
should not push beyond the point of pain; and severe pain is
a good reason for anyone to stop. However, this "easy does
it" philosophy can be, well, overdone. As a casual glance
around the gym will tell you, there are many people who put
little more effort into their workouts then they do into the
lifting of their pre-dinner martini glasses. "The term
'strain' is misleading," says personal trainer Larry
Indiviglia of Island Fitness in San Diego. "There has to be
a certain level of discomfort...a controlled push, if you
will...that one must tolerate in order to improve."
In other words, you still have to put in some effort.
That's why they call it "exercise" - and that's no myth.
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So, are we smarter about exercise than we were 10 or 20
years ago? Dr Michael Yessis says "read any magazine or
newspaper that deals with exercise and fitness, and you can
find errors and unsubstantial statements."
Hopefully the above information will help clear up some
confusion that has been around for years. Many times we
tend to automatically believe what people tell us or what we
read, even though it may have no truth to it at all.
Everyone seems to have their own viewpoint as to what works
for them and what doesn't, so you be the judge! I don't
believe anything is written in stone, so whatever works, or
you think works for you, do it!
Question of the week:
Can I burn more calories by exercising on an empty stomach?
No! Exercising hugry won't spur weight loss or help you
burn more calories, says Tracey Olgeaty Gensler, M.S. R.D.,
co-author of the Anti-Aging Fitness Prescription. Even
worse, says Gensler, by not fueling up first, you risk
getting tired during your workout, and the fatigue may
prevent you from exercising as long or as intensely as you
normally would, meaning that you'll burn fewer calories.
The best solution:
Try eating something like yogurt or an energy bar before
exercising. Preferably food that contains both
carbohydrates and protein.
Tips To Refresh Your Routine:
- Think of seven fun activities you want to try - hiking,
in-line skating, etc. Write them on strips of paper,
then put them in a "workout jar". Once a week, draw one
out of the jar and schedule a day to try your new
challenge.
- Use the 10-minute rule. Short bouts of exercise can add
up and get you motivated. Try jumping jacks in the a.m.
or lifing weights while you watch TV.
- Reward yourself. If you've been eyeing a new exercise
top or a new iPod nano, give yourself one credit for
each workout. When you get to 10, hit the store!
Did You Know ???
That you can "jumpstart your workout with honey? A recent
study of competitive bicyclists showed that honey gives you
as big an energy jolt as glucose, the sugar used in sports
gels and energy bars. Both honey and glucose boosted the
bike riders leg power and cut the time it took them to
finish their race. Honey though, has the added advantage
of being much cheaper. A post-workout spoonful appears to
also help your muscles recuperate. That's because honey is
a great source of carbohydrates, and your body needs them
to replace the ones you burned."
Have a great week everyone !!!
Check out our new Diet Buddy Forum, and share your diet ups
and downs with fellow Diet Buddies at:
http://archives.gophercentral.com/Forum.aspx?fid=5
Disclaimer: Since I am not a medical professional, any
statements in this column are strictly based on research I
have done and should not be misconstrued as medical advice.
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