#1-Working out my problem areas will make them go away, AKA, Spot Reduce: One of the most common, (and frustrating), fitness myths is the notion that you can spot reduce. That somehow the inner and outer thigh machine will eliminate the excess fat on the inner and outer thighs. Or by doing tons of Ab exercises or certain Ab exercises, our belly fat will be “banished”. This just isnt’ true. The fact is that to see those Abs or to eliminate the “chub” rub, you have to reduce your overall body fat. And, to top it off, you don’t’ have control over where your body will pull the excess fat from first, (yes, ladies, this means our girls could get smaller too). While you may be strengthening the muscles underneath the excess fat in those areas, you are not spot reducing the fat itself. Tip: Be patient with your fat loss. Shoot for an overall strengthening program along with cardio in order to reduce your overall body fat %. Eventually you will get there and have that lean look you are wanting.
#2-“Tone”, “Flatten”, “Firm”: Ugh these buzz words drive me nuts. I hear this all the time, gimmicky programs or equipment that market to women especially who want the benefits of “toning” or “firming” without getting bulky. I know it’s a play on words, but here is the real deal on muscles….they either get bigger or they get smaller. When strength training, muscles don’t get firm or tone, they get get bigger, and the consequential reduction in overall body fat allows them to shine through. Don’t fall for the “tone” and “firm” gadget and gimmick song and dance. It just isnt’ true. For you ladies, fearful of “bulking-up”, this isn’t going to happen unless you train for size and get a little hormonal help, AKA testosterone. Read our article on “Training the Female Athlete” for additional details. The more lean body mass, (read muscle), the more efficient fat burners we become. Research suggests that on average, 1lb of muscle burns an additional 50 calories per day! Muscle is beautiful and along with a reduction in body fat, muscle will give you that lean, fit look. Tip: Hit the weight room, mix in some cardio and start the transformation!
#3-Muscle turns to Fat: If you are fat and have excess fat on your body, it is…fat. Fat is fat. It is not the substance formally known as muscle, which converted to fat when you stopped lifting or exercising. It’s fat. Muscle and fat are two different tissue types, one cannot turn into the other. It is possible that when you stopped exercising your muscles atrophied, (became smaller), and therefore you lost the ability to burn fat at the same level. If on top of that, you did not modify your eating habits…guess what? You added fat or added more fat to your fat. You muscle tissue did not convert over to fat. Impossible. Tip: See above…hit the weight room, start a full body strength program, along with cardio and a sensible, holistic nutrition plan and let’s build some muscle and burn some fat!
Final Note: I think it’s important to acknowledge that the fitness industry, like any industry, has it’s goods and bads. There are bad trainers, with limited experience and knowledge and cheap certifications out there that get more of their fitness knowledge from the internet, magazines and gym science than we care to mention. However, there are also very good, highly educated trainers and coaches that are armed with the latest science has to offer in how the body works and responds to exercise stimulus. Methods and protocols change all the time…such is way with science and scientific discovery. Do your homework and find the good ones. Avoid the latest “fads”, “quick fixes” and “rapid shreds”. Often the lingo and gimmicks are just a way to market and attract people to get started and get moving and despite the confusion this can lead too, we are convinced that people in the fitness industry genuinely want to help people be healthy and active. However, when choosing a program or trainer, select the one who is honest about the process. The one who tells you that it's gonna take a lot of hard work and dedication, but they will make the process fun along the way, is your best bet.
