Top Ten Exercise Myths

[Remisgod]

Penultimate-
Burning more calories overall will burn more fat calories even if it's a lower percentage of calories coming from fat. For example (and I'm just making up the percentages for illustrative purposes):
You burn 100 calories in the "fat burning zone" with 50% of the calories being burned as far calories. You have burned 50 fat calories.
OR you burn 200 calories at a higher intensity with 30% of the calories coming front fat. You have burned 60 fat calories.
So it is better to work at a higher intensity and you will burn more calories - and more fat calories - overall.

Please feel free to correct my percentages, I don't recall what they really are, I just know it mathematically will work out.

[Dreamchild]

I truly learned something from this. I guess myths are popular when it comes to losing pounds. I'm not surprised with all the fad diets and changing theories out there that we get our information in a tangle. Thanks for elucidating!

[carmencane]

I hate exercise! I prefer to keep a very strict diet without exercise than a more permissive one with exercise.

[fight2winthis]

Great info. I'd like to look at something differently though...

The reason muscle weighs more that fat is just like saying iron weighs more that feathers. Yes a pound of irons weighs the same as a pound of feathers, but you need a truckfull of feathers to match with a little bit of iron. Just as in the case of muscle and fat, you need a whole lot of fat mass to match the weight of muscle. Like if you put a fistful of muscle and a fistful of fat on a balance scale, the muscle will tip the scales.

That said, it explains why a person who is obviously slim and muscular (like bodybuilders) can weigh more that someone of similar height and build but wit much more body fat.

[Mashy50]

thank you that answers my question about exercising in the morning! I can run at my normal nighttime hours again

[brillmama2]

If riding a bike doesn't built muscle then why do real cyclists have big muscular strong legs????

[Unthinkables]

Thank you for sharing! I have actually been believing most of those myths.... *facepalm* Surprisingly, those truths made me feel better.

[Lisacat]

3. You burn more fat by exercising longer at a lower intensity – the myth of the ’fat-burning zone’.
No, we burn a higher percentage of fat as a fuel source when working at lower intensities, but we burn more total calories when exercising at higher intensities. At the end of the day, it’s calories in versus calories out that matters.

This is very confusing for me. If we burn more fat percentage isn't it what we're looking for? I thought calories are food we just ate recently, but I want to burn excess fat!
I'm new here and would appreciate an explanation.

Wishing you all an energetic day!

Lisa

[kb11311]

sounds good, thanks for the info.

[Lisacat]

Hey everyone,
I'm new here, training hard, and doing lot's of reading.
I wonder if I haven't got an answer to my post (2 posts above), cause everyone is on vacation.
Regarding point #3.
Burning more fat, isn't it our goal? I thought calories are food we just ate recently, but since I'm on diet now, I want to burn excess fat from the years I wasn't.
Hope Meg or someone else can reply.

[PollifaxFive]

This list really clarified some concerns I had about muscle gain. Very helpful!

[novangel]

2. Lifting weights will give women big, bulky muscles.
No, most women don’t have the hormones necessary to ‘bulk up’. Weightlifting makes most women smaller and tighter, not bigger and bulkier.

This is good to know I was worried about this. Thanks.

[AlmostMe]

Like Rachellia... I put on muscle mass easily. But I'm ok with that, thrilled with that really (except in the arms...I have trouble finding jackets that fit because my arms are also my biggest problem fat area).

But I know I am an exception. Not the rule.

[FattyFatFat]

Great read. Not sure if I can FULLY agree on everything said without justifiable proof, as many weight trainers and fitness instructors have said differently, etc. But I can agree with 95% or more of what was said easily! Some things do work differently for other people though, so no telling. Brilliant post nonetheless!

[parker lee]

This was extremely helpful, I can't wait to apply what I've learned to my fitness plan