The world of fitness is one that has a constant flow of new advice. If you are dedicated to your fitness journey, you have likely come across many tips that have affected your workout routine or nutrition one way or the other. While some myths are easy to recognize by experienced exercisers, others are widely accepted as truths but can hurt your chances of reaching your goals. Here is the truth about some common fitness myths.
Myth 1: The Longer You Work Out, the Better
Many gym-goers believe that the longer they spend at the gym, the more results they can expect. However, as time passes, they notice little to no results. Why is this?
Your body adapts quickly to exercise, and it needs time to recover and grow stronger. Long workouts overtrain your muscles. In worse cases, excessive exercising can lead to overtraining and injury. There is a sweet spot to hit to achieve maximum results and maintain a strength training schedule. Aim to work out for 45 minutes to an hour. Your workout should not leave you completely exhausted. If it does, you may likely need to adjust your workout routine.
Myth 2: Rest as Little as Possible
While some think that taking a minimum number of rest days will build muscle faster, this is not true. The truth is that your body needs time to recuperate and restore itself. A long rest period gives your muscles a chance to rebuild and become stronger. If you keep pushing yourself without taking the time to recover, you run the risk of injuring yourself and losing muscle mass. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you are taking enough rest days to allow your body to fully recover.
While it is important to work hard and make progress in the gym, you should always make sure you are giving it the proper time to recover between workouts so you can make steady gains over time. Give your muscles some rest. Working out between three to five times a week is completely sufficient for most people. Those who are short on time might prefer working out two days a week.
Myth 3: You Cannot Eat Snacks or Desserts
Many people mistakenly believe that healthy snacks or desserts are off-limits when you are trying to lose weight or gain muscle. However, this is not necessarily the case. Your diet depends on your fitness goals. For example, if your goal is to gain muscle, you should ensure you eat enough protein. As long as you maintain a moderate intake of healthy treats, you can enjoy occasional desserts and snacks without disrupting your diet or jeopardizing your results. While it is always advisable to eat a nutritious, healthy diet, restricting yourself from eating meals you enjoy may make it more difficult to stick to your fitness goals and even be damaging to your lifestyle and diet.
Myth 4: You Can Only Be a Personal Trainer if You Have Already Reached Your Goals
The fact is that reaching your goals is a very long process. Even experienced gym-goers still have goals that they would like to reach in the future. If you are new to working out, you may want time to warm up and build a bit of experience. However, if your feel ready and are passionate about assisting others on their journey, there is no reason you cannot complete a personal training course. If you can stay motivated and are dedicated to helping others succeed and building yourself up to be the best personal trainer possible, it may be a worthwhile pursuit. You can visit Study Active to find out more about achieving a personal training qualification.
