Women Fitness Myths Busted

When it comes to fitness, some women jump right into it while others tend to be skeptical. And it's not just due to laziness or lack of time. Sometimes what we hear through the grapevine about female fitness routines can be enough to intimidate us into not wanting to even head near a gym. Find out what's real and what's false once and for all.

• Women will get bulky from lifting weights
  

  Women can not get big and bulky for one very good reason; their bodies don't produce enough testosterone to build the large bulky muscles you're likely to see in bodybuilding ads. Testosterone is a key ingredient to putting on muscle mass, and the only way women can get this type of big bulky look is by taking steroids and hormone injections. So don't be afraid to lift heavy weights if you're a woman. Lifting heavy will make a woman strong, not manly.

• If you lift weights, do high reps to tone your muscles
  

  Most strength training workouts for women prescribe 2-3 sets of 12 or more repetitions. Performing many sets using high reps is effective for increasing muscular endurance and increasing blood flow to your muscles, not increasing strength levels and building muscle. Performing sets of 5-8 reps is especially beneficial when dieting, as it is the best rep range to use to ensure you hold onto the muscle you have. The more muscle you can hold onto when dieting increases the amount of fat you lose and keep off after you have achieved your weight loss goals. Doing sets of 12-15 reps has the opposite effect where you lose as much muscle as body fat.

• Use machines instead of dumbbells and barbells
  

  Women believe this myth because they feel using machines will prevent them from bulking up, a myth we have already dispelled. A workout consisting primarily of exercises using free weights (barbells and dumbbell) is the way to go. Free weight training produces the most benefits in the shortest period of time. This type of training enables you to perform exercises that train many large muscle groups at once. This means you burn more calories for every set you perform.

• Lose weight first before you lift weights
  

  This myth exists because women often become discouraged when they diet and lift weights since the weight loss that occurs isn't reflected on the scale. This is because the weight lost is body fat, not the muscle you need to stay healthy. Lifting weights while dieting will help you keep the muscle you have ensuring the weight you lose is body fat. Studies confirm this showing that combining aerobic exercise, dieting, and strength training leads to greater losses of body fat and weight than when you only diet or diet and do aerobic exercise.

• Slim women should not exercise
  

  Slim and fit are not synonyms. You can be thin but not necessarily fit. It is important for everyone to exercise, whether slim or over-weight, as it helps strengthens the muscles, joints, heart and other organs. Most of us have sedentary lifestyles and suffer from back and neck problems due to lack of exercise and poor postures. However, workouts will vary from individual to individual, but exercise is a necessity for all.

• If I don't exercise, my muscle will turn into FAT
  

  Another common myth is that a regular fitness routine will either turn fat into muscle or that if you stop exercising, your muscle will turn into fat. In both respects, muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. One cannot be turned into another so this belief is not accurate at all. While it is true that going back to bad eating habits and a prolonged period of no exercise can cause you to lose your muscle, what actually happens during this time is that your metabolism becomes slower and your muscle mass decreases, which gives off the appearance of your muscles turning into fat. But that's not the case at all, no matter how it may look. As for turning fat into muscle, again the two have nothing to do with each other. We are able to lose fat through weight training, a good diet and aerobics. This part of your workout routine has no relation to the muscle that you could possibly build up through weight and strength training.

• Restricting the number of meals is the best way to lose weight
  

  False. By doing so you are inviting more trouble. When you skip meals, the body begins to store more fat as a protective measure and at the same time reduces the fat burning enzymes. Thus, over a period of time you gain more weight. The best way to maintain a healthy weight is to eat 5-6 small meals a day, eat slowly, chew your food and drink plenty of water.

Now that a few popular myths have been unmasked for you, don't be fooled the next time your friend tells you about some latest fitness fad. The sooner you learn the truth about exercise, the closer you'll be to achieving your desired results.