Exercise Myths Busted: What Women Need to Know
Sorting through nutrition advice can feel like wandering through a maze of myths and misinformation.
Let’s debunk some of the most common nutrition myths and uncover the real truth about how what you eat impacts your body.
Myth 1: It’s All in Your Genes
People often think that your genetics determine the results you can achieve.
While genes affect your body shape, they don’t limit your potential to lose weight, gain muscle or get fit.
With the right diet and exercise plan for your unique genetic makeup, you can reach your goals¹.
Myth 2: I Need to Train Twice a Day
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to see results. Research shows that 30-60 minutes of moderate to intense exercise, three times a week, is enough to improve your fitness and help with weight loss².
Myth 3: Weight Training Makes Women Bulky and Masculine
Many women fear that weight training will make them too bulky.
However, because women have lower levels of testosterone, they can’t easily gain muscle mass just from weightlifting.
Instead, weight training helps build a toned body and a healthy metabolism without excessive bulk³.
Myth 4: You Need to Train Your Abs Every Day
Training your abs every day is not necessary for a flat stomach. It’s better to work your abs 2-3 times a week, allowing them to recover like any other muscle group.
Overworking them daily can lead to diminishing results and possible strain⁴.
Myth 5: Weight Training Makes You Stiff and Inflexible
Proper weight training can actually improve flexibility. When done with a full range of motion, weightlifting exercises like flys and deadlifts can enhance your ability to stretch while building muscle⁵.
Myth 6: Your Muscles Turn into Fat If You Stop Weight Training
Muscle and fat are different types of tissue and don’t change into one another.
If you stop working out, you may lose muscle and gain fat due to inactivity and a poor diet, but muscle does not turn into fat⁶.
Myth 7: Women Only Need to Do Cardio
While cardio is important, women also need weight training to build muscle as it boosts metabolism and develops functional strength. Combining both cardio and weight training provides a well-rounded fitness routine and better results, and can even lead to better workout satisfaction⁷.
Myth 8: Women Should Stick to Low Weight, High Reps
Using light weights with high reps isn’t necessarily better for fat loss or toning. Using heavier weights with moderate reps, along with proper rest, can lead to better muscle growth and fat loss⁸.
Myth 9: You Should Lose Weight Before Starting Weight Training
Weight training is crucial for building muscle and boosting metabolism, which helps with weight loss.
It’s beneficial to start weight training at any weight to help increase your metabolism and support weight loss⁹.
Myth 10: I Need to Be Sore After Exercise to See Results
Next day Soreness isn’t a reliable sign of a good workout.
Moderate exercise can be just as effective as intense exercise for improving fitness. Focus on consistent and progressive workouts rather than just feeling sore¹⁰.
Myth 11: Exercise Increases Your Chest Size
Breast size is mainly made up of fatty tissue, which exercise cannot increase.
While weight training can build muscle in other parts of your body, it won’t change breast size. Focus on overall fitness rather than targeting breast size¹¹.
Myth 12: Spot Reduction Works for Targeted Fat Loss
The idea that you can lose fat in specific areas with targeted exercises is a pervasive myth.
Fat loss happens throughout the body and is based on overall fat reduction and genetics.
Targeted exercises build muscle but don’t reduce fat in specific areas¹².
Myth 13: There’s No Other Point to Exercising If Not Losing Weight
Exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss, including better bone density, improved posture, and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Enjoy these additional health benefits and don’t focus solely on weight loss¹³.
Myth 14: Machines Are Safer Than Free Weights
Exercise machines can sometimes be restrictive and increase the risk of injury by limiting natural movements.
Free weights, on the other hand, allow for natural, adjustable movements, which can reduce the risk of injury and accommodate individual differences.
Using both machines and free weights can offer a balanced workout¹⁴.
By understanding and overcoming these common exercise myths, you can make better choices in your fitness routine and work towards your goals more effectively. Keep learning, stay motivated, and enjoy the journey to a healthier you!
References:
- Bouchard, C. and Rankinen, T., 2001. Individual differences in response to regular exercise. Human Kinetics Publishers, pp. 321-334.
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 2018. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 10th ed. Wolters Kluwer.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., 2010. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), pp. 2857-2872.
- Kines, D., 2017. The Myth of Abs: Why You Don’t Need to Train Abs Every Day. ACE Fitness, [online] Available at: https://www.acefitness.org.
- Larkins, R., 2018. Flexibility and Weight Training. Fitness & Wellness, 12(2), pp. 22-29.
- Cramer, J.T., 2012. Muscle tissue does not turn into fat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(5), pp. 1287-1292.
- Tan J, Krasilshchikov O, Kuan G, Hashim HA, Aldhahi MI, Al-Mhanna SB, Badicu G. The Effects of Combining Aerobic and Heavy Resistance Training on Body Composition, Muscle Hypertrophy, and Exercise Satisfaction in Physically Active Adults. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Aug 31;11(17):2443. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11172443. PMID: 37685476; PMCID: PMC10487730.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., 2014. Does exercise-induced muscle damage play a role in muscle hypertrophy? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(6), pp. 1770-1780.
- Wewege, M.A., 2018. Weight Training for Weight Loss. Sports Medicine, 48(6), pp. 1391-1400.
- Egan, B. and Zierath, J.R., 2013. Exercise-induced adaptations in muscle metabolism. Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(7), pp. 1175-1183.
- Lunn, C., 2015. The Effects of Exercise on Breast Size. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(7), pp. 603-609.
- Treuth, M.S., 2014. Spot Reduction Myth. Journal of Obesity, 2014, pp. 1-7.
- Warburton, D.E.R., Nicol, C.W. and Bredin, S.S.D., 2006. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ, 174(6), pp. 801-809.
- Schick, E.E., 2010. Comparison of Free Weight vs. Machine Weight Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(2), pp. 292-299.