Funny fitness misconceptions by people just starting out

missylectro
missylectro Posts: 448 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
"You still get sore? You should be used to it by now"

"(female) I don't do weight training, I don't want to have muscles like a man"

"If I drink/eat <insert product, drink or pill> I will lose weight and I won't have to count calories"

"If I workout, I don't need to eat healthy"

Do you know any?
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Replies

  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
    edited December 2014
    My favorite part of these threads is when people start to disagree with quotes and then everything goes to hell in a handbasket.
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Since we're coming up on the New Year we will see lots of these from new people

    " I have found this cleanse/detox, that will kick my metabolism into overdrive and get rid of all the toxins in my system!"
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
    I tried not to put anything people would disagree with lol
  • Silentfool
    Silentfool Posts: 189 Member
    Awwwww New year and the gym/fitness newbies. They will come with there strange plans and recipes for cheating at getting healthy, but if we tolerate them for just a few weeks they either leave or join us.

    Fingers crossed they learn to join us quicker in 2015 than before
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    I find it weird when people tell me that potatoes are fattening. They're, what, 90 calories for 120g?
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    The female who says "I don't want to get bulky" is a personal fave. Had a co-worker, 200+ lbs (as am I so no judgement here) say this to me. I wanted to say but honey, you already ARE bulky. If I'm going to be bulky anyway, muscles win every time.

    Also, those who cut out an entire food group. "No carbs! No fat! No meat!" Yeah, how about a balanced diet, no deprivation!
  • 52cardpickup
    52cardpickup Posts: 379 Member
    "I HAVE to eat 1200 calories per day to lose weight even though it's way too far below my BMR/TDEE, I'm working out a buttload, and I have no other health issues."
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    When I tell people I count calories and limit carbs (to a degree) and lose about 1lb a week, but they tell me it doesn't work for them. So they are special snowflakes?

    Oh, and when people tell me they are going on a specific food plan to "jumpstart" weight loss and detox. Seriously? Oh, that's how it works.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    "You mustn't eat white food"
    "Don't eat after 6pm"
    "Only eat a handful of food at a time"

    All the above would make me eat my arm off
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Spot reduction.
  • jennycina93
    jennycina93 Posts: 127 Member
    The people who claim they can't eat anywhere near 1200 calories b/c they get too full. Do they not realize they were most likely eating way above that to gain weight in the first place?
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    "If I workout, I don't need to eat healthy" - yep, this along with "...or watch my calories"

    That's seriously what 90% of my friends believe, and then they don't understand why their lifestyle change fails to result in any weight loss at all. It's WONDERFUL that their workouts have other positive benefits. But when they are genuinely seeking a weight loss and don't get it, I see them either getting more frustrated over time or even giving up, which isn't good!

    Also gotta love it when people claim things like the following...

    "The only way I can lose weight is eating just grapefruit for breakfast and 1/2 sandwich for lunch" (quote from my mom)

    "I can't lose weight if I eat breakfast" (quote from my boss)

    "I got down to 220 but only eating no carbs and running 5 miles per day, it's not worth it because there's no way I can lose" (quote from my brother-in-law)

    "You'll lose weight effortlessly no matter how much you eat, as long as you don't eat past 3 pm" (have heard this from multiple women)



  • TuffChixRule
    TuffChixRule Posts: 190 Member
    Any sentence that starts with the phrase, 'But (insert so-called expert here) said that you need to..." really makes me laugh. Especially if they mention Dr. Oz or Richard Simmons. I mean seriously?
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    The people who claim they can't eat anywhere near 1200 calories b/c they get too full. Do they not realize they were most likely eating way above that to gain weight in the first place?

    Oh, mine is people that say this. Because obviously eating too much is the only way to get fat.

    You can't drink your calories. Obviously.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    "If I start threads about how stupid other people are, I will look really really smart and everyone will like me"
  • Mediocrates55
    Mediocrates55 Posts: 326 Member
    The people who claim they can't eat anywhere near 1200 calories b/c they get too full. Do they not realize they were most likely eating way above that to gain weight in the first place?

    Oh, mine is people that say this. Because obviously eating too much is the only way to get fat.

    You can't drink your calories. Obviously.

    A 12 ounce Dr Pepper has, what? 150 calories I think?
    I was drinking 8-10 of those a day before I changed.
    A DAY.
    1,200 to 1,500 calories a day just in soda.
    I wasn't eating hardly anything and wondered why I couldn't shift weight. Even if I was only eating 1,000 calories a day, I was above maintenance. It's insane how dense we can be and how much we can delude ourselves before we start logging.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    The people who claim they can't eat anywhere near 1200 calories b/c they get too full. Do they not realize they were most likely eating way above that to gain weight in the first place?

    Oh, mine is people that say this. Because obviously eating too much is the only way to get fat.

    You can't drink your calories. Obviously.

    A 12 ounce Dr Pepper has, what? 150 calories I think?
    I was drinking 8-10 of those a day before I changed.
    A DAY.
    1,200 to 1,500 calories a day just in soda.
    I wasn't eating hardly anything and wondered why I couldn't shift weight. Even if I was only eating 1,000 calories a day, I was above maintenance. It's insane how dense we can be and how much we can delude ourselves before we start logging.

    Me too. Well, I was about 6 Dr. Peppers a day, and about 5 huge sugary coffees a day. So I never overate, but I was certainly over any reasonable calorie intake.
  • lborsato1
    lborsato1 Posts: 1,011 Member
    The "jump-starters" and the "detoxers" are the most mis-informed people
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    "internet forums are a good place to learn about fitness"
  • "Muscle weighs more than fat." I hate when people say that. Since when does 5lbs not equal 5lbs? Weight is not same as density.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited December 2014
    "weight is not same as density"

    flogging_dead_horse_what1.jpg

  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    "If I start threads about how stupid other people are, I will look really really smart and everyone will like me"

    biavi2q8t7os.jpg

    I am but a shadowy reflection of you...
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    "If I start threads about how stupid other people are, I will look really really smart and everyone will like me"

    biavi2q8t7os.jpg

    I am but a shadowy reflection of you...

    Haha that's why I get all the flags.
  • iamstaceywood
    iamstaceywood Posts: 383 Member
    My sweet boyfriend dosen't believe in calories and keeps telling me, but its all protein, its ok. Or, (as with pork rinds) It's just fat and protein, its good for you. :D
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited December 2014
    "Muscle weighs more than fat." I hate when people say that. Since when does 5lbs not equal 5lbs? Weight is not same as density.

    Semantics. The point of "muscle weighs more than fat" isn't that "a pound isn't a pound." That would be ridiculous. The point is that it doesn't take as much muscle (by volume) to make a pound as it does fat.
    Trying to argue that muscle doesn't weigh more than fat is overcomplicating the issue. No one would pitch a fit if I said iron weighs more than jello.

    Of course, a pound of water and a pound of whipped cream weigh the same but a gallon of water and a gallon of whipped cream do not. Likewise, a square inch of muscle is heavier than a square inch of fat.

    And yes, weight and density are not the same. Nor are density and mass the same. Nor are mass and volume the same. However, density does determine the amount of mass in a given volume which determines the weight of the object/material. Thus weight is dependent on density.
  • loulamb7
    loulamb7 Posts: 801 Member
    The people who claim they can't eat anywhere near 1200 calories b/c they get too full. Do they not realize they were most likely eating way above that to gain weight in the first place?

    This is definitely one of my favorites.

  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited December 2014
    I know a guy who decided he needed to lose about 30 pounds. He's the type guy who's convinced he knows all about fitness and health and that he's actually in great shape despite being overweight and sedentary because 25 years ago he worked out all the time.

    He tells me he's going to lose the weight by cutting back on his night eating. The only thing he's going to eat after 8pm is popcorn and milk.

    Ok, if that works for you and gets your overall calories into a deficit then more power to you. But it's not like you're fat because you weren't awake to digest the cookies you ate. If you eat 4,000 calories up until 8pm and don't do some serious calorie burning exercise you are not going to lose any weight. Sorry.

    Anyway, we're out one night and stop at a McDonald's which is connected to a gas station. Since it's about 10pm he can't eat the McD's.
    So as I'm sitting down with my food he comes in from the gas station with a half gallon of chocolate milk. I ask him what's up with the milk and he reminds me that he doesn't eat at night anymore because the night snacks were making him fat so it's only popcorn and milk at night now.

    I kept my peace and ate my 520 calorie quarter pounder while he drank all 1,600 calories of his half gallon of chocolate milk.
  • AshZie
    AshZie Posts: 49 Member
    "If I work out, I don't need to eat healthy"

    THIS!!! I had a coworker who decided to join a gym earlier this year (approx. 5'7" 220lb female). Her idea of a workout was walking on a treadmill at a "window shopping" pace for maybe 30-40mins 2-3x per week. And no weight training because she "didn't want to get all muscular like a guy" and don't even get me started on her diet. Let's just say donuts, cheetos and energy drinks were her staples. Needless to say, she didn't get results and quit shortly after. I would have loved to offer her advice but she would get very defensive.

    Also the people who believe in miracle pills. Same coworker mentioned above experimented with many diet pills including Hydroxycut which she frequently mixed with caffeine pills and energy drinks. Again, no improvement in what she ate or physical activity.
  • fearlessleader104
    fearlessleader104 Posts: 723 Member
    Everything I know about fitness its a misconception
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    "The only way I can lose weight is eating just grapefruit for breakfast and 1/2 sandwich for lunch" (quote from my mom)

    "I can't lose weight if I eat breakfast" (quote from my boss)

    "You'll lose weight effortlessly no matter how much you eat, as long as you don't eat past 3 pm" (have heard this from multiple women)

    Jebus, yup, my mom too (except for her it's coffee instead of grapefruit), on all these, actually. I don't know if there's any hope for a conversion after 50 + years of bad advice (cabbage soup diet, hot water with lemon in the morning diet, etc etc etc).

    Hands up, all you with moms like this.
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