It’s that time of year again – not Christmas, sillies – the time where every magazine comes out with their favorite countdown lists from the previous year! One of my faves (at least for today) is the top ten worst fitness myths. These babies definitely seem to persist year after year, even among those who really ought to know better (like, say, many of the personal trainers at my gym). My personal favorite myth (that is only sort-of on their list) is:
If you want to burn fat, you have to stay in your “fat burning zone” which they usually then explain as you are working hard enough to “still talk to your neighbor.” To which I say, phooey. The research does not back this up. It is true that while you burn a greater proportion of calories from fat whilst exercising at a lower intensity, you burn a greater total number of calories exercising at a higher intensity. And calorie for calorie, you burn more fat at the higher rate. Now, I’ll never dog anyone for keeping it low if they are enjoying themselves and feel good about what they are doing but if they are meandering around the track for two hours strictly on the notion that they are “only burning fat” then they are sorely deluded.
I actually had someone say to me once, as I panted and dripped puddles all over the floor from a grueling interval workout, “You know, you’re only burning carbs when you do that. Go home and eat one bowl of cereal and you’ve wiped out your whole workout.” I wanted to scream at him but of course I was still too winded. I’d burned enough calories to eat cereal all day if I felt like it while I doubt he’d pedalled off more than the misplaced apostrophe in Cap’n Crunch.
Work out slow and steady if that is what works for you or do a killer workout if you need the burn. Or better yet, mix it up with a wide variety of activities and intensities and pay more attention to your “fun” level than your “zone.”
Some of the other Top Ten Myths include other greats like:
– Women shouldn’t lift heavy weights or they’ll bulk out
– There is a quick-n-easy way lose weight (And I’ll sell it to you for $59.99 a bottle)
– Stretching isn’t important because it doesn’t get your heart rate up
So what gets your vote for the Worst (or best) Fitness Myth of All Time??
I read one recently that said no one should do ANY type of exercise for more than 30 minutes a day, but should work out seven days a week. AND, most of that should be lifting heavy weights, while limiting cardio.
Um, no thanks.
i love the fact that you can have the best abs from doing crunches but if you don’t do cardio you’re still going to have that layer of fat over your abs. i laugh everytime i see the girls at the gym that only do abs continously. i definitely think my best abs have came from running.
Azusmom- my meathead weighlifter friends are similarly terrified of any cardio (“It’s catabolic!” “It eats muscle!” It’s… not fun!”). I think you definitely need a balance – cardio is good for lots of things besides stripping fat. My mood is so much better after a good sweat!
Natalie – hee! I get the same little giggle everytime I see someone pounding out (usually with bad form too) 1000 crunches.
great post!!! (and I agree with you on the whole fat burning zone thing!)
Some of my clients refuse to do lunges because “they’ll make my legs too fat” Um…no they won’t!
Lisa
http://www.workoutmommy.com
Hmmm…maybe weightlifters don’t have ‘roid rage, they just lack the serotonins from a good cardio workout!
Ah, lunges! Hate doing them, LOVE what they do for my legs!