Fitness Myths - Busted!
Altona North Training is the best Strength & Conditioning Gym in Melbourne's West. We offer no lock in memberships and over 35 classes every week.
How many of these do you believe?
Myth 1: Exercise has to be high intensity to “count”
We all want to get the most out of our sessions - but you don’t have to smash yourself every single time! It’s more beneficial to balance your high intensity sessions with lower intensity workouts so you can give your body time to recover from intense sessions. Even though it’s good for you, exercise is still a form of stress on the body, so if you constantly work at a high intensity you can put yourself at risk of burnout or injury. Try slowing down your reps, using a heavier weight, or even adding some walking, swimming or stretching into your week to balance out your high intensity sessions.
Myth 2: To be healthy, you have to cut carbs
Put potatoes, bread, rice and pasta back on the shopping list! Your body needs carbs to function optimally. The misunderstanding around carbs is more to do with the quantity and type of carbs consumed. Most of your carb intake should come from high fibre types like wholegrain bread, brown rice and sweet potato (rather than muffins, hot chips, processed white bread). Experiment a little and find the right amount and types of carbs that work for you - some people have a high carb tolerance while others have a lower tolerance.
Myth 3: Cardio is best for weight loss
Step away from the treadmill - it’s a combination of strength and cardio that will help you achieve your weight loss goals! Basically, the more muscle mass you have, the more energy you will burn at rest, helping you get into that calorie deficit needed for weight loss. Endless cardio also won’t give you the “toned” look most of us seek - that only
comes from strength training.
Myth 4: More exercise is always better
Like with anything, moderation is key. Current weekly recommendations for an adult are 5 hours of moderate intensity or 2.5 hours of high intensity exercise - so if you’re clocking up hours and hours of exercise each day, your body may benefit from some more rest. Obviously professional athletes complete more exercise than this - however they are surrounded by professionals who guide their recovery, food intake and manage injuries (and are paid!). Don’t run yourself into the ground!
Myth 5: You have to hit 10,000 steps a day
It’s true, you can reduce your risk of many health conditions by increasing your step count - however 10,000 steps is actually a marketing gimmick that has no science behind it. Research has linked health improvements to 7,500 steps a day! Obviously if you’re trying to lose weight it helps a lot to keep your step count higher, but if you’re looking at it purely from a health perspective, keeping yourself consistently around that 7,500 steps a day mark will do the trick.
