Our Personal Trainers Weigh in on the Biggest Fitness Myths
Before your next workout, make sure you know which fitness facts are on the money, and which myths should be completely ignored. Our personal trainers weigh in on the biggest fitness myths here.
Cardio is the Fastest Way to Lose Weight
We see a lot of people who are on a mission to lose weight head straight to the treadmill and stay there for as long as they can. But the truth is, all this time spent doing the same cardio activity could be much better spent elsewhere.
The key to an effective exercise regimen is diversity. A mixture of high intensity interval training (HIIT), weight training and cardio will help you reach your fitness goals much faster than cardio alone, and will help you get those lean, toned limbs you’re after.
Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky
If there’s one fitness myth we’re most intent on debunking, it would be that lifting weights will make you bulky! For men who are lifting heavy weights, sure, you’ll definitely gain muscle. But for women, building a lot of muscle is much more difficult.
When weight training is combined with HIIT and cardio exercises, it’s the fastest way for women to lose weight and build lean muscle tissue. And the kicker here is, that the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolic rate will be, which will mean you’re burning more calories even when sitting at your desk doing nothing at all. It’s a win win!
Eating Late at Night Makes You Fat
While research suggests that people who eat late at night are more likely to be overweight, the issue is a bit more complicated than that. It’s important to remember that a change in weight will only occur when there is a change in calories consumed or burned. The problem with eating late at night, is that people tend to consume snack foods in addition to their usual daily meals (chocolate, we’re looking at you).
For many people, reducing the number of hours that food can be eaten will speed up their weight loss progress. So if this means enforcing a rule that you can’t eat anything past 8pm, great! But you’d likely have similar success by enforcing the same rule from 12pm – 4pm, or whenever you’re prone to excessive snacking.
The More You Workout the Better
One thing our personal trainers hate to see, is someone spending 3-4 hours at the gym, every day of the week. Simply put, a 1-hour workout done at 80-100% intensity is much better than a 3-hour workout done at 20-40% intensity. And beyond that, overworking muscle groups will hinder your process rather than speed it up.
A sustainable fitness routine requires rest days, or you’ll be at serious risk of burning out. We can’t stress the importance of listening to your body enough, so if you need a break, take a day off and return the next day with more energy than ever.
Ask Our Personal Trainers
If you have any other questions about your fitness routine or achieving your fitness goals, our personal trainers are all ears. All of the personal trainers at Planet Fitness are fully qualified with Certificates III and IV in Fitness.