5 Common Fitness Myths That Are Holding You Back

Fitness and wellness tips and advice have always been a discussion topic amongst friends and colleagues; we love to learn new ideas about how to keep fit and happy. In a post-pandemic world though, fitness and wellness advice have been one of the biggest mainstream trends on the web, with thousands of blogs offering free advice. This explosion of wellness as a trend online has created some serious positive changes such as the appearance of boutique fitness studios or the rise of personal training.

All this renewed interest in self-care has also created an influx of information on diet and fitness that isn’t always the best to follow. Thousands of fitness or wellness blogs out there offer ‘tried and tested’ or ‘specialist’ advice that isn’t science-backed and can seriously jeopardize your fitness journey. This abundance of online information makes it difficult to discern what works from what doesn’t; the truth from fiction. Even seasoned athletes or fitness enthusiasts tend to fall prey to the newest hot tip to save warm-up time or follow dietary advice that is extreme.

The web offers a lot of information on fitness dos and don’ts - often contradictory - that could confuse even the most seasoned athletes. This is where we come in to set the record straight. Read on to find out the 5 biggest fitness myths on the web that can jeopardize your fitness journey.

Lifting weights will bulk women up

This is perhaps the ultimate myth of myths when it comes to women; oftentimes women are advised that lifting weights will result in a bulked-up body and should be excluded from their workout regime. The truth is that lifting weights systematically and following the correct advice over a long time will lead to added muscle mass.

Research has shown though that women and men are quite similar in the way they build muscle over similar workout plans. In fact, weight lifting has so many benefits for women it's hard to think why they shouldn’t include it in their routine. From increasing bone density to helping with weight loss and improving heart health, there are so many reasons weight lifting is women-friendly!

You can out-exercise a bad diet

This is a fitness myth that is quite popular amongst both beginners and seasoned fitness enthusiasts. As promising as it may sound, research has shown you simply can’t out-exercise bad dietary habits. Keeping an eye on what you eat is crucial; in fact, about 80% of how you will eventually look is based primarily on the correct diet. Eating processed or high-carb foods and trying to convince yourself you are burning the equivalent calories usually ends up with you overestimating the calories you burn or underestimating the calories you consume. Calorie counting and diet planning are the only way to go.

Always stretch before exercising

This is another misconception widely available on the web; many fitness blogs advise on stretching before exercising as a means to prevent post-training injury. The truth here is that stretching elongates and weakens the muscle, thus making it prone to cramps and injuries during the actual workout. Doing a classic warm-up session followed by a targeted NMES -powered assistance using the diPulse app programs is the best way to enjoy your training without risk. Leave stretching for the cool-down phase and you are fine.

The more you exercise, the better results you’ll get

This is one of the most common myths out there; exercise is great for your body and mind so the more you exercise, the more you benefit right? As we have previously discussed on this blog, there is such a thing as too much working out and this can have the opposite results. Your body needs intervals of rest between workouts to produce growth hormones and allow the muscle to recover and be repaired. Everyday cardio workouts are usually fine but science tells us it's best to leave at least 48 hours between hard strength training routines to allow for muscles to recover and be ready for the next challenge.

Exercising late in the evening won’t let you sleep at night.

This is a strange but popular myth even amongst athletes or fitness experts, who tend to suggest lighter forms of exercise for the latter part of the evening. A typical piece of advice from them would be to stick to Pilates or yoga instead of a cardio routine or a weight lifting session that might keep you awake during the night.

This is not the case though, science tells us. According to Professor Youngstedt from the University of California, evening exercise can in fact guarantee a great night’s sleep even amongst the most stressed of us. The key message here is which type of exercise - his research recommended outdoor exercise to be the most beneficial for both lowering stress levels and optimizing the quality of sleep.