Exercise Myths
“I only want to spot reduce” - There is no such thing as spot reduction. If you work your abs really hard, the muscle will become toned and strong. But if there is a vast amount of fat covering the abs, the toned muscles will not be apparent. When you burn more calories, you will begin to lose fat throughout your entire body, including any problem areas. The new toned muscles can only make their debut when the layer of fat covering them disappears.
“If I start a weight program and then stop, all that muscle will turn to fat” - If you stop strength training, the muscle will not turn to fat. Muscle and fat are totally independent of one another. Unfortunately, fat is the top layer. If you stop your workout program, the muscles will shrink but they cannot turn to fat. As the muscle becomes smaller, the fat becomes dominant. Also, having lean muscle allows you to eat more without gaining weight. If you lose muscle and continue to eat the same amount, you will most likely gain even more fat.
“If I lift weights, I will bulk up like a man” - Women do not have nearly as much testosterone as men. Testosterone is what enables men to gain muscle. Toning is what takes place in a female through strength training. If a female begins to get bigger than she is comfortable with, all she has to do is cut back and the muscle will shrink. Of course, if she is eating more calories than she is expending, she will bulk up but it will be fat and not muscle.
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