MythBuster: Top 5 Misconceptions about Females & Fitness

I feel like there are a number of misconceptions when it comes to women and workouts; things you should be doing, things you shouldn’t be doing, “10-minutes-to…” whatever.All this misinformation leads to people being misguided on a fitness journey; a journey where we tend to need the most direction. So let’s see if we can clear up the top myths that we’ve heard or may even believe for ourselves: 

Myth 5: Doing tons of cardio automatically gets you fit. 

Cardio does NOT automatically equal fat loss. Just because you’re doing tons of cardio doesn’t automatically mean you are losing weight or reducing fat. The result of fat loss is more about energy in vs. energy out. If you constantly take in more than your targeted daily calorie intake. And on an even more important note—extreme amounts of cardio is not ideal overall healthy goals. You can definitely burn a ton of calories, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you will improve in body composition, strength, balance or any other health features that better reflect the healthy progress. 

Myth 4. All you need to do is sign up for a bunch of fitness classes. 

Every workout class may not be the best format for your goals. Fitness classes are great but some classes are just for fatigue.to get stronger, to build muscle mass and increase strength. Many classes can be more circuit training; you will get better at the movement, but at some point, you may hit a plateau. Group workout classes are an amazing format for staying active; just be sure to pay attention to the class structure and make sure it aligns with your personal fitness goals. 

Myth 3. You have to cut carbs out of your diet to get in shape.

You often hear people saying that they lost weight when they “cut carbs”; however, what’s really taking place is that they removed a macronutrient that accounted for a significant portion of the calories they consume on a daily basis. Carbs are not “bad,” but it’s more in the Western diet, carbs rarely ever come in proportions that are pretty excessive; especially in the Western diet, just think about an order of fries or the size of a pizza or a large bowl of pasta. It turns out that most people are taking in way more carbs in their diet than they actually need for energy performance. It’s not necessary to completely cut all carbs, but it is important that you examine your portions you’re consuming. If you are eating in a calorie deficit and eating sufficient amounts of protein & fiber, there is no reason to be afraid to eat carbs. It’s not the carbs, fats, or any other macronutrient that is the isolated reason for any weight gain; it’s more than likely the portions that you’re consuming them. So don’t be afraid of eating carbohydrates; they are an important  source of energy for your body. 

Carbs are not your enemy; it’s just important to establish discipline in portion intake. 

Myth 2. The number on the scale isn’t going down so that means I’m not improving. 

Don’t let the scale define you. One thing about the scale is that it isn’t always as accurate as we want it to be. When it comes to weighing yourself on scale, we don’t always weigh ourselves in the exact same way, at the exact same time and in the exact same conditions. We don’t eat the same way every day, so this can make our weight look different on different days as well. The reality is....weight fluctuates. The best way to see how your weight is tracking would be to either weigh yourself every single day on an empty stomach and take an average of 7 days, to account for the fact you’re eating differently each day. So if you’re just going off one reading per week, this will not only be prettys inaccurate but can also be frustrating and misleading. Progress photos can be a better indication of transformation progress being made. Also, your waist measurement can be a great way to track your progress. Your weight over a 4-week transformation might be fairly close to your starting weight; but, your body's composition will be completely different; with muscle mass going up and body fat going down. Your weight alone will not always give the full picture of your progress, so don’t get too caught up in the number on the scale.

Myth 1: Women will get big & bulky from lifting weights. 

Okay, this has got to be the myth I hear the absolute most. Building large amounts of muscle mass does NOT happen overnight. Weighted training does not automatically equal muscle mass; if that were the case then every person in the gym would be ripped!  Weight training is a great asset to fat loss and body transformation, and it shouldn’t be feared by females. Most body programs that are going to give you results should have some elements of strength training. For anyone that says they are gaining weight when they are lifting, you have to take into account how much they might be eating. People tend to think that training more means they get to eat more. Often they are taking in a large amount of calories, putting themselves in a calorie surplus, which is what really contributes to them gaining weight with resistance training. Don’t be afraid to get in the gym and pick up some weights; it’s not going to make you big & bulky, it will make you feel more powerful. 

Misleading information can misguide you from your goals. So I hope clearing up these myths gives you clarity on your fitness journey!