Three common fitness myths that need to be put to rest

Summer bodies are built, well, whenever you decide to put in the work. Since it’s still early in the year, it won’t be unusual to see a bunch of people hitting the gym to break a sweat. But let’s be real: The gym can be an intimidating place, especially when the room is filled with guys whose muscles are so large that you would think their necks have been swallowed. The thing is, no one was born a workout guru. While there’s a lotof info available online, there’s also a wide range of misconceptions that come with it. Here are a few common ones that need to be removed from your gym vocabulary.

1. MYTH: THE MORE YOU LIFT, THE BIGGER YOU GET
TRUTH: Ladies, using heavy dumb-bells will not turn you into a female Hulk.‘Women typically have less muscle tissue, and produce lower levels of testosterone than men,’ says Jessica Matthews, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. This means that physiologically, women are simply less likely to become overly muscular, so pick up ttche dumb-bells! As for the guys, if you’re all about them gains, you’ll need to be consistent in your heavy lifting, with a diet to match.

2. MYTH: CRUNCHES WILL REDUCE BELLY FAT
TRUTH: You’ve seen them online too often to suspect otherwise, but crunches aren’t the most effective way to get a flat stomach. ‘Since they don’t burn off a lot of calories, they don’t help in a major way with fat loss,’ says Wayne Westcott, professor of exercise science at Quincy College. If you are serious about reducing belly fat, steer clear of sugar and carbs, eat foods rich in fibre, and include effective exercises into your workout, such as spin classes, burpees, mountain climbers and kettlebell swings.

3. MYTH: MUSCLE TURNS INTO FAT WHEN YOU DON’T TRAIN
TRUTH: We sometimes miss workouts because, well, life happens. Whether it’s weight training or consistent cardio, it’s not uncommon to notice your body looking a little ‘softer’ than before when you miss a few gym sessions. This doesn’t mean that muscles suddenly morphed into flab. ‘Fat and muscle cells are different structures and are not interchangeable,’ says exercise physiologist Hahns Petty. If not exercised, your muscles shrink and fat cells expand. To avoid feeling blah, try a home workout to keep your body tight. 

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