10 Fitness Myths Men Should Be Well Aware Of
In today’s health-obsessed world, no matter where you go or who you meet, everyone has an opinion to give about your fitness. Thus, fitness myths or facts are everywhere. There is a lot of misinformation that swirls around in gyms and fitness classes. Most of these fitness myths exist because they used to be a popular idea that people believed to be true. Whereas, newer research and scientific studies have debunked such common 10 Fitness Myths for Men.
First and foremost, the ground for such myths is shaky. What may work for you may not work for your best friend. With that being said, there are some common fitness myths men should ignore. To stop wasting everyone’s time, we have compiled a list for you!
Top 10 Fitness Myths for Men
Here is the list of fitness myths for men that should ignore:
1. No Pain No Gain
We have all heard this at some point. This is chanted like a mantra in every gym. In reality, this is one of the fitness myths you should not only ignore, but it could also be dangerous for you. In the middle of an intense workout, if you feel your body giving up and you don’t stop, you are doing more harm than good. One should never ignore the signals their body is giving them. Besides, it’s a common misconception that you need to feel sore after every workout. Muscle soreness doesn’t always add up to an effective workout.
2. Spot reduction is possible
We get it. Everyone wants to lose stubborn belly fat. We tend to think that doing repetitions of crunches will do the trick, but if only. Spot reduction simply doesn’t work. You can target muscle building, but that’s not how fat loss works. The key to losing weight is simple. You need to maintain a calorie deficit. In order to do so, you will have to exercise your whole body and not just parts of it.
3. Carbs are your enemy
The Atkins Diet is a very popular low-carb diet that has been making rounds. In this diet, you need to consume under 20 grams of carbs every day for at least two weeks. Not only is this low-carb diet not sustainable, but there is also no concrete proof that it works either. Carbs are the body’s first source of energy. They are needed for an active body. Isolating carbs from your diet will make you sluggish, and you will end up feeling fatigued the entire time. Therefore, rather than ignoring your carb consumption, be conscious of it. The best time to eat carbs is during breakfast and after a workout.
4. Morning workouts are the most effective
Only morning workouts are effective. Fitness myth or fact? This is something you will hear every gym dude saying. But, is it really true? According to the American Council on Exercise, it is recommended to work out between 4 to 6 PM when your body temperature is the highest. This makes workouts most effective. Nevertheless, it’s not an ironclad law. You should work out whenever it’s convenient for you.
5. Sports drinks are better than water
Many sports drinks companies challenge the function of water to promote their drinks. However, research has shown that water is single-handedly the best drink for weight loss. Water is an active appetite suppressant. Most times you think you are hungry, you are really just thirsty. Additionally, water has many health benefits. Drinking about 2 to 3 liters of water every day can lower the risk of developing chronic heart diseases, including chances of a heart attack. Being dehydrated can bring your energy levels down and make you feel famished.
6. The more you sweat, the faster you’ll lose weight
A common fitness myth is that the more you sweat, the more weight you will be able to lose. People sweat in varying degrees and for different reasons. This depends on the person’s body type, how well-adjusted he is to his fitness routine, the environment, etc. This will be considered as a functional Fitness myth only in one condition, that is when you do exercise and sweat during that duration will help you to lose weight. Sweating is the body’s natural response to overheating and it has very little to do with weight loss.
7. Greater exercise equals greater weight loss
We have all tried to shed pounds before an important event thinking that more exercise will lead to more weight loss. This cliche is far from true. If you overtrain, you will sabotage muscle growth and unnecessarily stress your body.
8. Yoga is only for women
Many people still believe that weightlifting is only for men. Similarly, there is also a fitness myth that yoga is only suited for women. This is not only a wrong conception but also misogynistic. Yoga is a beautiful way of healing one’s body and realigning with the soul. At the same time, it also improves balance and endurance. Yoga, thus, is a human experience perfect for both men and women.
9. Eating extra protein will lead to more muscle gain
We won’t deny that consuming protein has a vital role in bodybuilding and maintaining muscle, but excess amounts of protein can also be stored as fat in the body. Any calorie-containing nutrient or food item can be stored as fat in the body if consumed in excess. This is the general rule. If you need to calculate the right amount of protein needed to be consumed for your body weight, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36.
10. Cardio eats muscle
This is one of the most common fitness myths of cardio. If you think that running on the treadmill will eat up all your muscles, you couldn’t be more mistaken. The term that you are looking for here is catabolism, but that doesn’t happen at this level.
Instead, combining cardio exercises with weight training actually increases lower body mass by about 28 percent.
10 Fitness Myths Men Should Be Well Aware Of
In today’s health-obsessed world, no matter where you go or who you meet, everyone has an opinion to give about your fitness. Thus, fitness myths or facts are everywhere. There is a lot of misinformation that swirls around in gyms and fitness classes. Most of these fitness myths exist because they used to be a popular idea that people believed to be true. Whereas, newer research and scientific studies have debunked such common 10 Fitness Myths for Men.
First and foremost, the ground for such myths is shaky. What may work for you may not work for your best friend. With that being said, there are some common fitness myths men should ignore. To stop wasting everyone’s time, we have compiled a list for you!
Top 10 Fitness Myths for Men
Here is the list of fitness myths for men that should ignore:
1. No Pain No Gain
We have all heard this at some point. This is chanted like a mantra in every gym. In reality, this is one of the fitness myths you should not only ignore, but it could also be dangerous for you. In the middle of an intense workout, if you feel your body giving up and you don’t stop, you are doing more harm than good. One should never ignore the signals their body is giving them. Besides, it’s a common misconception that you need to feel sore after every workout. Muscle soreness doesn’t always add up to an effective workout.
2. Spot reduction is possible
We get it. Everyone wants to lose stubborn belly fat. We tend to think that doing repetitions of crunches will do the trick, but if only. Spot reduction simply doesn’t work. You can target muscle building, but that’s not how fat loss works. The key to losing weight is simple. You need to maintain a calorie deficit. In order to do so, you will have to exercise your whole body and not just parts of it.
3. Carbs are your enemy
The Atkins Diet is a very popular low-carb diet that has been making rounds. In this diet, you need to consume under 20 grams of carbs every day for at least two weeks. Not only is this low-carb diet not sustainable, but there is also no concrete proof that it works either. Carbs are the body’s first source of energy. They are needed for an active body. Isolating carbs from your diet will make you sluggish, and you will end up feeling fatigued the entire time. Therefore, rather than ignoring your carb consumption, be conscious of it. The best time to eat carbs is during breakfast and after a workout.
4. Morning workouts are the most effective
Only morning workouts are effective. Fitness myth or fact? This is something you will hear every gym dude saying. But, is it really true? According to the American Council on Exercise, it is recommended to work out between 4 to 6 PM when your body temperature is the highest. This makes workouts most effective. Nevertheless, it’s not an ironclad law. You should work out whenever it’s convenient for you.
5. Sports drinks are better than water
Many sports drinks companies challenge the function of water to promote their drinks. However, research has shown that water is single-handedly the best drink for weight loss. Water is an active appetite suppressant. Most times you think you are hungry, you are really just thirsty. Additionally, water has many health benefits. Drinking about 2 to 3 liters of water every day can lower the risk of developing chronic heart diseases, including chances of a heart attack. Being dehydrated can bring your energy levels down and make you feel famished.
6. The more you sweat, the faster you’ll lose weight
A common fitness myth is that the more you sweat, the more weight you will be able to lose. People sweat in varying degrees and for different reasons. This depends on the person’s body type, how well-adjusted he is to his fitness routine, the environment, etc. This will be considered as a functional Fitness myth only in one condition, that is when you do exercise and sweat during that duration will help you to lose weight. Sweating is the body’s natural response to overheating and it has very little to do with weight loss.
7. Greater exercise equals greater weight loss
We have all tried to shed pounds before an important event thinking that more exercise will lead to more weight loss. This cliche is far from true. If you overtrain, you will sabotage muscle growth and unnecessarily stress your body.
8. Yoga is only for women
Many people still believe that weightlifting is only for men. Similarly, there is also a fitness myth that yoga is only suited for women. This is not only a wrong conception but also misogynistic. Yoga is a beautiful way of healing one’s body and realigning with the soul. At the same time, it also improves balance and endurance. Yoga, thus, is a human experience perfect for both men and women.
9. Eating extra protein will lead to more muscle gain
We won’t deny that consuming protein has a vital role in bodybuilding and maintaining muscle, but excess amounts of protein can also be stored as fat in the body. Any calorie-containing nutrient or food item can be stored as fat in the body if consumed in excess. This is the general rule. If you need to calculate the right amount of protein needed to be consumed for your body weight, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36.
10. Cardio eats muscle
This is one of the most common fitness myths of cardio. If you think that running on the treadmill will eat up all your muscles, you couldn’t be more mistaken. The term that you are looking for here is catabolism, but that doesn’t happen at this level.
Instead, combining cardio exercises with weight training actually increases lower body mass by about 28 percent.