There are quite a few myths about exercise that have been around for decades, but just don't go away.
Let's talk about some of these now.
Exercise Myth 1 You need to do some kind of cardio exercise to lose fat If you belong to a fitness centre take a look around and will notice that the majority of people spending a lot of time doing cardio exercises are not losing any significant amount of weight (in most cases they are not losing any weight at all).
It is a well known fact that heavyweight boxers do a lot of running and skipping to prepare for their contests, yet you still see some of them entering the boxing ring with flabby stomachs.
Some people do lose weight, but you will find that these are the people who have addressed their diet.
It does not matter what kind of exercise you do, you will only get rid of the fat if you are make adjustments to your eating habits.
Exercise Myth 2 Abdominal exercises will give me a flatter stomach.
I know people that have been exercising their abdominal muscles 3 or 4 times a week for many years, yet they still look no different.
I also know people who very rarely (if ever) do stomach exercise and have no visible body fat.
Fat and muscle are two completely different tissues so one cannot be changed into the other.
Only eating the correct foods on a regular basis will result in a flatter stomach.
Exercise Myth 3 If I train my triceps more often I will lose the fat under my arms As I have just stated fat will not turn into muscle, so no matter how hard you train your triceps (or any body part you wish to lose fat from) you will see no visible changes without a sensible diet.
Please Remember Healthy Low Fat Diet = Fat loss Resistance Training = Toning and shaping Cardio Exercise = Healthier heart and lungs Exercise Myth 4 Exercising with weights or resistance will make my muscles get bigger.
Exercising with weights or resistance is a great way for both men and women to create a nice lean and toned body.
It is not just for building big muscular physiques.
The really muscular men and women you see in a gym or in magazines will train in a completely different way to someone that is looking for a slim, toned body.
They will also being eating far more food than the average person does.
In fact a big muscular body is much more difficult to achieve than a slim and toned body.
I hope that clearing up these exercise myths will help you to achieve your fitness goals.