Fitness Myths Busted!

In the fitness world there are too many statements thrown around about how to lose the most fat or how to get abs the quickest etc.. Below are just a few of those statements which are complete myths and I want to bust them right here, right now! You can spot reduce an area of your body. No you can’t, doing 100 sumo squats every day won’t give you a thigh gap it will just increase the strength and tone of those muscles working. Instead of focusing specifically on one movement, look at using whole body movements and improving your diet to reduce the overall body fat %. Holding the plank for hours will give you abs. As with the point above, holding the plank will engage the core muscles and make them stronger but they won’t be shown until the body fat % is reduced. Fasted cardio is the only way to lose fat. If training fasted is something you enjoy and suits you better then carry on, but you are not going to be at a disadvantage if you don’t. Research shows very little difference between fasted and un-fasted cardio results for fat loss. Engage in an eating and workout routine that suits you not the person you follow on Instagram. Lifting weights makes you bulky. Spoiler alert, if this was true would body builders spend every waking moment of their day in the gym… No! Lifting weights is a great way to increase metabolic rate and therefore burn fat. Lifting weights also has other great benefits such as increasing bone density to prevent osteoporosis. If you don’t hurt after a workout, you didn’t work hard enough. Please don’t ever feel you have to be in crippling pain the next day with DOMS for a workout to have an effect. If you are sensible with your nutrition, sleep and hydration and also either stretch or foam roll regularly then the body is able to repair and recover very quickly after a workout to prevent the dreaded DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). You have to have a six pack to be healthy. This is so far from the truth! Being healthy encompasses a number of factors such as how you feel and function throughout the day not how you look in the mirror. Unfortunately as a society we are more driven by aesthetic goals than our own health and wellbeing. The more you train the better. You don’t need to be in the gym or working out at home 7 days a week. The body needs rest to become stronger and so without that rest you will become fatigued and prone to injury. Focus on quality over quantity. If you want any more myths busting whether it be fitness or nutrition then contact us now. Our sessions are stripped back to basics and use tried and tested principles to get you the results you want and deserve. We have classes on every weekday morning so there is always something for everyone. Contact us now on 01442 795001, email sophie@tmafitness.co.uk or visit www.tmafitness.co.uk for more information. We currently have an online offer for 8 classes at just £19.99 so make sure you grab that offer now before it ends!