Fitness Myths & Fallacies

No Pain, No Gain This is not true. Many of the benefits of exercise are achieved through sub-maximal effort. Pain is an indicator that an exercise may lead to injury or excessive fatigue. Exercising at a level that causes pain would also cause motivational problems in the athlete.

Muscle turns to fat when you stop exercising This is not true. Muscle and fat are different types of tissue and one cannot turn into the other. This myth comes from the fact that when you stop exercising your muscle mass reduces.

Sports Drinks are better than water Some sports drinks are better for very long duration activities where the body is working close to exhaustion and requires carbohydrates & minerals. For all other activities, water maintains the body’s hydration and provides all the requirements when exercising.

Sweating helps weight loss True, sweating can reduce weight significantly over a short period of time due to water loss. However, this will be replaced as soon as the athlete drinks. This technique should not be used in an attempt to reduce weight and the consequences of dehydration can be severe.

Specific exercises can reduce fat in a particular part of the body. This is not true. For example, a person cannot lose weight from their stomach by doing sit-ups. Sit-ups would tone the abdominal muscles, but fat can only be lost by ensuring that the body is using more energy than it takes in. Fat loss will be distributed over the whole body.

Weight is an accurate indicator of body composition This is not true. If a person starts exercising & reduces their calorie intake, then they will lose body fat & increase muscle mass. Muscle is heavier than fat, so although the person is achieving their desired result in terms of their physique, it may not be reflected on the scales.

Older people, pregnant women, & those with medical conditions should not exercise This is not true. Exercise is beneficial to almost everyone. Individuals in the above groups, or those with a specific concern, should seek medical clearance and professional advice. There will be some sort of exercise or activity to suit most needs.