5 Exercise Myths exposed

The fitness industry can be a mine-field of training fallacies based on nothing more than unfounded emotional opinions and not on proven scientific research.
Healthy Executives has exposed some of the more common fallacies that our trainers have to address with their clients about.
Muscle turns to fat when you stop training
This is like saying iron can turn into water. One type of tissue cannot physiologically turn into another. It is true that when you stop training, your muscles will lose size, but they will not turn into fat. Weight is gained by maintaining the same kilojoule intake as you did while you were training. The more lean muscle you have in your body, the faster your metabolism. The faster your metabolism, the more energy you burn. When you stop training your metabolism will decline because you are losing active tissue.
Spot reduction
There are many companies out there making big money on spot reduction equipment and products based on working a particular body part will burn fat from that area. This is untrue as we have no choice where we burn fat, as it comes off from all over the body depending on the individual’s genetic make-up. To use fat as a fuel to burn, it needs to be oxidised aerobically during cardiovascular activity (e.g. walking, running, bike riding etc). That burning sensation that you feel when you are doing crunches or side leg raises are not exploding fat cells. In actuality this burning is a build-up of lactic acid, caused by generating energy anaerobically and using glycogen as the source of energy. Burning fat from the body is like driving a car. You firstly have to get the car out of the garage and onto the road to drive it. If you drive a considerable distance or drive it hard, you will burn a significant amount of fuel. Doing crunches to burn off tummy fat is like using the car only to open and close the bonnet. The only thing you will wear out is the hinges.
Going to the gym is better than a home workout
Despite all of the gyms latest up-to-the-minute equipment, research has shown that most people find it easier to stick to a home-based fitness program. The best program you can do for yourself is the one that you will enjoy doing consistently.
Increase protein intake will add extra muscle
This is like saying that our muscle is mostly made of water, so if you drink 20 litres of water a day it will add extra size to the muscle.
Our body will only use the required protein that it needs (1 to 1.5 per kg of bodyweight). There is no proven published research saying that extra protein will add muscle. The body oxidises off any extra protein that it does not require.
Fat burning pills and cellulite creams
There are many fat-burning supplements on the market, but there are none that have any proven scientific research to show the increase in the oxidization of fat.
Did you know the term “Cellulite” is a non-scientific term that originated from the beauty industry? Rubbing cream into the surface of the skin will have no effect on the release of fat from the fat call. If these creams truly worked there would be many overweight people with skinny hands from rubbing it in to their body.