When trying to lose weight and decrease body fat, you should only do cardio. TRUTH: Cardio exercise can help you lose weight; however it is not as effective in building muscle. Incorporating 2-3 non-consecutive days of strength training can help you reach your goals much quicker. Remember that muscle is more expensive to maintain than fat tissue. A pound of muscle can burn as much as 20 calories a day while a pound of fat only burns approximately 2-5 calories a day. Consequently, the more muscle mass a person has the more calories they burn. For best results incorporate both strength and cardio exercises!
Exercising a specific part of the body will cause you to lose more fat in that area. TRUTH: How and where a person loses fat depends on a number of things such as genetics, hormones, sex, and age. According to the American Council on Exercise, by exercising a specific body part, you are building muscle mass in that area that will look lean and mean only after burning the fat over the muscle. This is done through a combination of cardiovascular exercise and overall total body strength training to create metabolically active (calorie burning) lean mass. It's much smarter to focus on the total body than on one body part at a time.
No pain, No gain. TRUTH: While it is normal to experience muscle soreness after a weight workout, constant pain is an indicator that you have gone too far. The muscle soreness is a result of micro-tears created by the demands placed on the muscle during exercise. Although this sounds bad it actually plays an important role in building muscle. It is when the muscle repairs itself that the muscle grows and gains strength. Rather than using soreness to measure the effectiveness of your workout, make sure that you are: Lifting Enough Weight - Choose a weight heavy enough to complete the desired number of reps with proper form. If you feel like you could do more, increase your weight so the last rep is difficult but not impossible. Work All Major Muscle Groups - Whether you complete a total body workout or a split routine it is important to work all major muscle groups, not just the ones you see when you look in the mirror. Change it Up - To avoid plateaus and boredom, switch up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks.
Protein loading leads to quicker muscle growth. TRUTH: It is true that lean protein must be present to give your damaged muscle tissue the amino acids necessary for muscle repair. Rather than focusing on high amounts of protein, focus on the right balance between protein and carbohydrates. Without carbohydrates to replenish the depleted energy stores, the body will breakdown and convert it into energy. Most experts recommend consuming up to 20 grams of protein while following a 3:1 ratio (three grams of carbs for every one gram of protein) after a moderately vigorously intense workout. This would equate to a post exercise snack of 20 grams protein and 60 grams carbohydrates.
Low-intensity exercise burns more fat. TRUTH: The most important factor with weight loss and exercise is the total number of calories burned not necessarily the percentage of calories burned from fat. During higher intensity exercise the body will burn higher portions of carbohydrates and possibly less fat. However, the total number of calories burned will be higher, leading to a greater calorie deficit.