More often than not when the issue of fitness is being discussed there are innumerable unqualified opinions. While most words of advice are the individual’s personal experiences, there are a lot of myths associated with fitness and exercising. Either joining the gym and following the advice of the instructors there or hiring the services of personal trainers are two popular options to keep fit.
The health professionals including certified trainers and experts feel that these myths need to be dispelled before they can implement an effective fitness regime. Five popular myths are listed below:
1. Spot Reduction: This is one of the most popular myths and which most of the abdominal reduction gadgets manufacturers and traders have made fortune from. The infomercials of such products generally on TV show great sculpted bodies derived from working on these adduction machines for hours together. The entire highlight of such advertisements is that continuous exercising of a particular spot or muscle will help you to reduce the weight accumulated in those high fat storage spots like the hips, thighs and the abdomen.
Doctors as well as experts of the fitness field assert that there is no such biological procedure by which spot reduction can occur. The overall body weight reduction should be targeted as spot reduction could only result in ineffective cardio exercises.
2. Fat zoning: This very popular myth believes that working on the walker or the treadmill at a particular heart rate called as the heart zone which is pre-set on the machine is a technical no-no according to the medical professionals.
The fat-burning zone actually burns less of the carbohydrate calorie in comparison to the fat calories. The cardio-zone seems more effective in burning the fat calories.
3. Dietary Fat: Though the good -old USDA’s food guide pyramid advises sparing use of fats the medical fraternity is now able to prove that essential fat is necessary for the overall body development. Additionally essential fat as in plant resources should be part of the diet as opposed to animal fat. Fat have a glycemic index of 9 calories as opposed to just 4 calories of proteins and carbos.
4. The BMI: Large skeletal people or the mesomorphs are considered overweight by the BMI while the ectomorphs or people with lesser skeletal frames are considered below the BMI. The Body Mass Index was developed in 1850 and is therefore not an index that is of much used today.
Health scientists would rather consider your body fat percentage to determine your body composition.
5. Stretching first: Starting to stretch cold body muscles prior to exercising is a very popular first step to exercising.
But professionals believe that a few minutes of intense biking or on the cross trainer will warm up the muscles and will ease the muscles to stretch well. This is important to prevent injuries during exercising.
A certified personal trainer should be the ideal fitness expert to help you remain fit according to scientific methods and not myths.
