If there is one thing that the media are fabulous at it is extending the truth (or fibbing altogether). Fitness is a hot topic and so many blogs, articles and more share falsehoods which can and will seriously affect your health and fitness journey. I explore three of these myths today.
The Scales are King (or Queen)
This is total and utter nonsense. Yes, if you are trying to lose weight or gain weight specifically it pays to jump on the scales occasionally to measure your progress. The scales do not however accurately measure your progress.
Worryingly the scales can become something of an obsession, and this in itself is unhealthy. It is important to remember that when jumping on your scales that you aren’t seeing how much of your weight is fat, how much is muscles, tissue or water. Let’s be honest, how many of you have weighed, been for a sit on the toilet and then gone back to weigh? This unhealthy obsession with weight can be dangerous and again, back to the myth, is unnecessary.
A much more accurate way to assess success (other than how you feel, increased running time, strength etc) is to use a measuring tape. Don’t be a slave to the scales.
Eat What You Like Within Your Calorie Goal
Sure, if you want to, you can spend your calorie goal for the day on cereal bars, chocolate and rubbish. You won’t benefit from it though! Calories are not created equal and trust me when I tell you, eating your calorie goal in rubbish as opposed to healthy, nutritious food will make a big difference to your overall health, your skin, hair, energy levels and more.
When I see diet products on the shelves I sometimes despair as so often they can be full of rubbish or “empty” calories, calories with little or no nutritional value. It is important to realise that a calorie that comes from a good protein source, such as chicken will affect you hormonally a lot differently to one that comes from candy.
Make sure that your make the very most of your calorie count, making each one count towards your health and fitness goals. That means preparing fresh, delicious meals which will fuel your workouts and nourish your body.
Slow and Steady Wins the Game
No, no, no! While any activity is better than no activity, and of course for those just starting out on their fitness journey, it can take time to build up some stamina, this trend of plodding on is not helpful.
In order for you to reach your goals effectively, you need to work your body. Consider HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and realise that you need to mix things up a bit. Apart from the fact that HIIT has been proven most effective in a great number of studies, you need to be aware that your body and your muscle remembers and so mixing up your workouts and enjoying targeted sessions will help you achieve your whole body goals. Basically, you need to sweat! You need to work hard, work fast and in doing so reap the benefits.
Or you could go for a leisurely stroll in your lunch hour…..