Fitness Fallacies
w8sarge
Posts: 4,118 Member
#1 "Spot Reduction works to rid you of fat in those troublesome areas like spare tire/ love handles."
Now I kinda figured that this was bunk, because, in spite of tracking and ab work, the only thing getting bony on me is my clavicles! The love handles and spare tire are still alive and well and still jiggling.
This debunker does make some good points about the abs and the value of cardio workouts for overall fitness:
http://www.fitnessandfallacies.com/abbutt1.htm
Not so sure if this fallacy earns a laugh or a merely a sigh of resignation...
Now I kinda figured that this was bunk, because, in spite of tracking and ab work, the only thing getting bony on me is my clavicles! The love handles and spare tire are still alive and well and still jiggling.
This debunker does make some good points about the abs and the value of cardio workouts for overall fitness:
http://www.fitnessandfallacies.com/abbutt1.htm
Not so sure if this fallacy earns a laugh or a merely a sigh of resignation...
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Not so sure if this fallacy earns a laugh or a merely a sigh of resignation...
Le sigh!:grumble:0 -
I must admit to falling for this one for many years. I just didn't want to be bothered counting calories. Who weighs their food? (Funny, on Saturday I went to a baby shower and was annoyed that I couldn't weigh the chicken alfredo) Now, I'm addicted to my food scale. I guess I should take it with me everywhere.
The Fallacy: Calories Don’t Count
This is the first of the many fallacies that people use in the weight loss business in order to convince you to try their gimmicks. On the contrary, calories do count in a weight loss program. In order to lose a pound of fat, you must reduce your intake by 3,500 calories. However, in a low fat, moderate lean protein and moderate complex carbohydrate diet there is no need to count calories, since by nature this is a low calorie diet.
http://www.ediet101.com/diet-tips/diet-fallacies-and-the-truth/0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat. FALSE!
If I place 1 pound of muscle on a scale and 1 pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh 1 pound. The difference is in total volume! One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of a baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.
http://healthnews.ediets.com/fitness-exercise/top-10-fitness-lies.html0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat. FALSE!
If I place 1 pound of muscle on a scale and 1 pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh 1 pound. The difference is in total volume! One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of a baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.
http://healthnews.ediets.com/fitness-exercise/top-10-fitness-lies.html
LOL, just think of theTwi-loot you could buy if you had a dime for every time you've seen that one!:bigsmile:0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat. FALSE!
If I place 1 pound of muscle on a scale and 1 pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh 1 pound. The difference is in total volume! One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of a baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.
http://healthnews.ediets.com/fitness-exercise/top-10-fitness-lies.html
What?! :noway: LOL! When I was in school, this was a gotcha joke. Which weighs more -- a pound of feathers or a pound of nails.
I guess a lot of people got got.:laugh:0 -
Searched the web for "Fitness Fallacies" and found an article and picture by a "Practicing Physical Culturist", that goes on to say:
"You know I have to combat these fallacies, myths, lies, whatever you want to call them on a near daily basis. The fact of the matter is even so called “experts” in the fitness industry are often times more confused than the vampires of Twilight."
NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE BUSTER!!! DON'T MESS WITH MY BELOVED VAMPIRES, OR I'M GONNA PUT THE HURT ON YOU! YOU'RE GONNA THINK CONFUSED WHEN THEY COME AFTER YOU BUDDY!
As you can imagine, I didn't bother to read his article, after all, he obviously doesn't know jack about vampires of Twilight, why should I believe anything else he has to say!
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Eating after a certain time will make you gain weight. False!
It is simple math, burn more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. As mentioned earlier in this thread it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to burn one pound of fat. It makes no difference when these calories were burned or consumed.
The only truth in this could be for someone who has a problem over eating if they were to eat at night. For me, I get ravenous at night. If I don't save calories and plan ahead to have a snack at night I will get up in the middle of the night and binge, thus gain weight.0 -
Study Shows Exercise in Bad for You
source--- http://buffetoblog.wordpress.com/2006/03/30/exercise-is-bad-for-you-new-study-shows/
CHICAGO, IL – Scientists at Loyola University have proved what many of us have suspected all along – exercise is bad for your health.
Dr. Harold Crampe of Loyola University and his colleagues spent six months studying the effects of exercise, comparing a group of men aged 20 to 50 who walked or ran at least 3 times a week with a control group of men in the same age range who spent the same time on the couch, watching TV.
Dr. Crampe says they were surprised by their findings. "You have a 4000% higher risk of being hit by a car or other motor vehicle, if you're out running," he says, "and some of the other risks are even higher."
Runners and walkers were nearly 3 times more likely to be attacked by dogs, 5 times more likely to sprain or break a limb, and nearly 50 times more likely to be struck by lightning.
"You're even 12 times as likely to be mugged," says Dr. Crampe. "Normally, when we study things like this, we find small effects at most – a few percentage points difference between the groups. In this case, we're seeing double or even triple digits or more!"
Asked if the couch-bound control group had any problems not seen by the exercise group, Dr. Crampe said "Well, we had a couple of guys who got a crick in their neck, but after we showed them how to slouch more naturally, that cleared right up."0 -
Muscle weighs more than fat. FALSE!
If I place 1 pound of muscle on a scale and 1 pound of fat on a scale, they will both weigh 1 pound. The difference is in total volume! One pound of muscle may appear to be the size of a baseball; one pound of fat will be three times the size and look like a squiggly bowl of Jell-O.
http://healthnews.ediets.com/fitness-exercise/top-10-fitness-lies.html
What?! :noway: LOL! When I was in school, this was a gotcha joke. Which weighs more -- a pound of feathers or a pound of nails.
I guess a lot of people got got.:laugh:
I actually picked this after seeing a interesting example picture on Pinterest. It showed that 5 pounds of fat takes up about as much space as 3 grapefruit, but 5 pounds of muscle takes up about as much space as 3 tangerines0 -
The best way to lose fat is to eat very few calories. FALSE!
Always consider your body from the inside out. Your body’s main objective is to survive. It doesn’t care if you want to lose body fat. In fact, it would prefer to increase fat in case of famine. Internally, the body has no idea that it’s the year 2003. It could still be 10,000 years ago for all it cares. Survival is its number one objective.
If you eat very little (less than 1,200 calories), the body perceives an emergency and will accommodate you by holding onto stored body fat. As well it should, because it has no idea when it will be fed again.
From www.howtobefit.com
At the beginning of my weight loss journey, I was eating way too few calories. Being on MFP and learning more about health and fitness has shown me that my body needs the proper fuel to be able to function and that I can lose weight eating a balanced healthy diet instead of starving myself.0 -
Study Shows Exercise in Bad for You
source--- http://buffetoblog.wordpress.com/2006/03/30/exercise-is-bad-for-you-new-study-shows/
CHICAGO, IL – Scientists at Loyola University have proved what many of us have suspected all along – exercise is bad for your health.
Dr. Harold Crampe of Loyola University and his colleagues spent six months studying the effects of exercise, comparing a group of men aged 20 to 50 who walked or ran at least 3 times a week with a control group of men in the same age range who spent the same time on the couch, watching TV.
Dr. Crampe says they were surprised by their findings. "You have a 4000% higher risk of being hit by a car or other motor vehicle, if you're out running," he says, "and some of the other risks are even higher."
Runners and walkers were nearly 3 times more likely to be attacked by dogs, 5 times more likely to sprain or break a limb, and nearly 50 times more likely to be struck by lightning.
"You're even 12 times as likely to be mugged," says Dr. Crampe. "Normally, when we study things like this, we find small effects at most – a few percentage points difference between the groups. In this case, we're seeing double or even triple digits or more!"
Asked if the couch-bound control group had any problems not seen by the exercise group, Dr. Crampe said "Well, we had a couple of guys who got a crick in their neck, but after we showed them how to slouch more naturally, that cleared right up."
Seriously, this HAS to be a joke! "News Flash! Doing anything is more dangerous than doing nothing. Film at 11." :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
[/quote]
Seriously, this HAS to be a joke! "News Flash! Doing anything is more dangerous than doing nothing. Film at 11." :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
[/quote]
Wasn't that a good one?
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In 1999, actor Martin Lawrence wore a sauna suit to take a jog in 100-degree California heat. He suffered severe heat exhaustion and slipped into a coma. Luckily he recovered from the incident, but extreme overheating can cause permanent kidney, brain, and cardiac damage.
Need I say more?0 -
In 1999, actor Martin Lawrence wore a sauna suit to take a jog in 100-degree California heat. He suffered severe heat exhaustion and slipped into a coma. Luckily he recovered from the incident, but extreme overheating can cause permanent kidney, brain, and cardiac damage.
Need I say more?
This is so ridiculous! I used to spend HOURS waiting for my kids at the neighborhood (guess I should have been swimming instead, but whatever), and one of the other swim mom's (who was certifiably crazy) was always telling me how great her sauna suit was. She would not listen to me about how it wasn't a good idea that a woman with diabetes (yep, she was diabetic) do this. Fortunately, she got tired of exercise before using this thing killed her.0 -
Here are a couple of Fad Diets. I must plead guilty to having tried both.:ohwell:
Grapefruit Diet
The grapefruit diet was also known as the Hollywood diet and has been around since the 1930s. The grapefruit diet is based on eating grapefruit at every meal and consuming a very low amount of total calories. Although grapefruit is a healthy fruit and provides plenty of vitamin C and fiber, the diet is considered unsafe. Grapefruit also interacts dangerously with many medications.
Cabbage Soup Diet
The cabbage soup diet was popular in the 1980s and requires the dieter to eat cabbage soup at every meal for seven days Claims have been made that the diet can help you lose up to 10 lbs. in a week, but most of the weight lost is water.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/375559-history-of-fad-diets/#ixzz1oZyqnhrT
The cabbage soup was tasty, and I like grapefruit, but they aren't really the way to lasting weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.:noway:0 -
I'm going with a topic from Dr. Oz this week: 3 health food scams you're wasting money on. (my mom is always calling me asking me if I saw this story or that one on Dr. Oz, so I started taping him)
There are some companies out there that are just trying to make a buck off of you. Dr. Oz uncovers the biggest health food scams so you won’t get duped again.
Fake Blueberries
Some companies are labeling products as “blueberry” when really they are just manufacturing something that only looks like blueberries – made up of sugars, starches, hydrogenated oils and food dye.
Fake Blueberry Warning Signs:
Be wary if “blueberry” is far down on a long list of ingredients.
Watch for any red or blue dyes included in the ingredient list.
Any modifier to the word blueberry like “crunchlet,” “bit,” or “cluster” on food packaging is a red flag.
Not-So Extra Virgin Olive Oil
True extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest grade of olive oil. It comes from the first press of olives that takes place within less than 24 hours from when the olives were harvested, and it has not been chemically treated with any additives. A UC Davis study found that two-thirds of common brand-name EVOO in stores in California were regular olive oil, or canola and nut oils. This is a huge scam because you may be paying twice as much for a low-grade olive oil.
Ensure your olive oil is real EVOO:
Do the sniff test: True EVOO has a fruity smell, like that of fresh olives.
Make sure the oil comes in a darker bottle.
Only one country of origin should be listed.
Look for the USDA Organic stamp on the bottle.
Honey, Without the Buzzed-About Benefits
Recent studies show that lots of honey on the market is ultra-filtered, meaning all of the pollen is taken out. You want pollen in your honey because it is a great source of antioxidants.
Make sure to get all the healing benefits of honey:
The ingredients list should read ONLY honey (no sugar syrup, corn syrup or rice syrup).
Organic honey is the safest bet to ensure you’re getting pure honey with pollen.
Buy honey at natural food stores and local farmers markets because it comes straight from the hive.
I got this info from www.doctoroz.com0 -
Okay, I will admit, I followed a low fat diet in the 90's, 20% overall average fat consumption per day. (But, I was taught to avoid the sugary foods and try to get good fats in the process) I lost weight and I looked good. Checking labels is so critical to our success. Be aware of what you are eating!!
Here is some info on how our lovely consumer product folks reacted to the low fat craze:
"Hey Fattie!
Remember when we were told that fat was bad? And the stores responded by stocking reduced fat foods. And then Americans were thin…wait, what? Nope, it didn’t happen like that, and here’s why. When food manufacturers reduced or altogether eliminated the fat in products, they added sugar to improve the taste. As for the claims that following a low-fat diet could improve your health, a 12-year study published in 2006 the Journal of the American Medical Association found that low-fat diets did not significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease or stroke in women (with the same being said for men, just not in this particular study). So to clear up any confusion, low fat diets DO NOT WORK and fat is not the enemy. In fact, a diet that contains a high amount of healthy fats is considered only one thing in our books – healthy!"
Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/top-10-craziest-diet-fads/#ixzz1p5QuUWK90 -
Okay, I will admit, I followed a low fat diet in the 90's, 20% overall average fat consumption per day. (But, I was taught to avoid the sugary foods and try to get good fats in the process) I lost weight and I looked good. Checking labels is so critical to our success. Be aware of what you are eating!!
Here is some info on how our lovely consumer product folks reacted to the low fat craze:
"Hey Fattie!
Remember when we were told that fat was bad? And the stores responded by stocking reduced fat foods. And then Americans were thin…wait, what? Nope, it didn’t happen like that, and here’s why. When food manufacturers reduced or altogether eliminated the fat in products, they added sugar to improve the taste. As for the claims that following a low-fat diet could improve your health, a 12-year study published in 2006 the Journal of the American Medical Association found that low-fat diets did not significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease or stroke in women (with the same being said for men, just not in this particular study). So to clear up any confusion, low fat diets DO NOT WORK and fat is not the enemy. In fact, a diet that contains a high amount of healthy fats is considered only one thing in our books – healthy!"
Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/top-10-craziest-diet-fads/#ixzz1p5QuUWK9
Me, too. I lost about 30 pounds on a low fat diet back in the day. I added no butter, dressing, or sour cream to anything for almost a year. So glad I am beyond that.0 -
Okay, I will admit, I followed a low fat diet in the 90's, 20% overall average fat consumption per day. (But, I was taught to avoid the sugary foods and try to get good fats in the process) I lost weight and I looked good.
Me, too. I lost about 30 pounds on a low fat diet back in the day. I added no butter, dressing, or sour cream to anything for almost a year. So glad I am beyond that.
I knew some gals who rinsed their ground beef after they cooked it, now that was some seriously obsessed behavior.0 -
I was looking around the web for fitness fallacies, and found a few of my favorites at Real Workout Advice:
Fallacies on Exercise and Physical Fitness
Belonging to a health club is the only way to achieve fitness.
Fallacy, keeping the body in motion by performing physical activities that you find enjoyable is the best way to implement fitness in one’s life. For example, riding a bike, taking a brisk walk, roller blading and dancing are fun ways to experience exercise.
Exercise is only beneficial when it is strenuous.
Fallacy, extreme exercise is unnecessary to experience the benefits of a fitness program. Excessive exercise runs the gambit of overtraining. For example, a brisk walk of 3.5 miles per hour on a treadmill will provide health advantages.
Allow the body to rest by alternating challenging workout days with easier ones.
Each exercise session is only effective if burning is felt in the muscles.
While moderate muscle soreness is to be expected, the old wives’ tale, "No pain, no gain" is untrue. Exercise should not cause aches, pains or burning sensations. An adequate work-out does not necessitate making muscles burn. When pain is experienced, exercise should be ceased.
Aerobic and cardiovascular exercise are the only types of exercises that matter.
Fallacy, a well-balanced physical regimen includes the following components: strength, cardiovascular/aerobic and flexibility training.
Strength training for women always leads to bulking up.
Since women do not have the testosterone hormone that can builds bulky muscles in men, strength training will enhance muscular tone and strength
The formula for six-pack abs is by doing exercises targeted to flatten the stomach.
Although, abdominal exercises (sit-ups, crunches), are vital for strengthening muscles and improving posture, excess abdominal fat will not create abs of steel. In the realm of exercise, losing weight in a specific spot of the body is not feasible.
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Although I love going to Curves, I think one of the things that MFP teaches is that people can exercise in all different ways and lose weight doing it. People can walk, run, do DVD's at home, dance, play sports, or even clean the house or garden.
I wouldn't have done any exercise if it all had to be strenuous or extreme. When I first started exercising, I would get light-headed half way through a workout. I took it REALLY slow. I'm sure most would think what I consider as "strenuous" is too easy to be effective. I read a blog a few weeks ago that said that exercise only counted if it was "in the zone," meaning that one's heart rate tops 85%. Well, in that case none of my exercise has counted. I have been doing this for 4 years, and I have not injured myself at all. (This is also a huge blessing from God because I really did not know what I was doing).0 -
Warning the photo below could be considered offensive to some, okay, most of us!
Fitness Fallacy #49---- Vampires get fat.
Okay so one of my MFP friends has this on her profile pic, now seriously!!!! Bad girl!!0 -
Myth: Eating at night makes you fat.
Reality: Calories count, whenever you eat them.
There's no proof for this myth, Rosenbloom says. She notes some small studies with mixed results, tests on animals, and a belief that because eating breakfast is linked to lower BMI, eating at night isn't as good. But all in all, Rosenbloom says, it's your calorie total that matters, day or night.
from webmd.com
I had to use this one because I tend to eat dinner late. I work until 6, and if I come straight home its 6:30 when I get here, then by the time I feed the dog & then finally decide what I want for dinner, I might not eat until 8-9pm. Mom keeps getting after me if she calls at 9 and I say I'm eating dinner, so I figured I'd look this one up0 -
Fallacy: For quick weight loss eat only 500 calories per day.
While reading a paper about the Holocaust, I was reminded of this fallacy. The Auschwitz survivor explained that the prisoners were fed only 500-600 calories. The result wasa group of people who were weak and terribly susceptible to disease.
Why would anyone consider doing that to themselves?
On a lighter note, one MFP user poster offered a delightful refutation of this fallacy -- check it out:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518970-who-should-eat-500-calories-a-day0 -
Rare photo of my friends and I at the gym.
Fitness Fallacy #76
fat jiggling machines will make you skinny
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After seeing my thighs in a swimsuit today, i went with the obvious topic: the much hated cellulite
Fallacy Of Weight Loss Fitness Programs: Cellulite is a special kind of fat that can be specifically targeted.
Fact: Cellulite is a term coined to describe the dimpled, bumpy fat that often appears on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Cellulite is nothing more than a lot of fat in certain areas with a slightly different skin texture. This stubborn fat has inspired various therapies, from liposuction (surgical removal) to massage, body wraps and most popular of all, “anti cellulite” creams. These creams affect only the skin’s appearance and have absolutely no effect on the fat itself. No cosmetic product can change the structure of your body. A poor diet and lack of physical activity can result in poor muscle tone and excess weight gain. This can cause more fat in specific areas of the body. This excess fat creates a cottage cheese appearance. Where the additional fat is located depends upon your genetics. Females typically have extra layers of fat on the hips and thighs. Males usually gain fat in the abdominal region. Instead of worrying about those specific areas, try getting involved in total body aerobic exercises. This will help burn fat all over the body. Aerobic exercise is the only way to rid excess fat from the body.0 -
Rare photo of my friends and I at the gym.
Fitness Fallacy #76
fat jiggling machines will make you skinny
Hahahahaha!!:happy: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
After seeing my thighs in a swimsuit today, i went with the obvious topic: the much hated cellulite
Fallacy Of Weight Loss Fitness Programs: Cellulite is a special kind of fat that can be specifically targeted.
Fact: Cellulite is a term coined to describe the dimpled, bumpy fat that often appears on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Cellulite is nothing more than a lot of fat in certain areas with a slightly different skin texture. This stubborn fat has inspired various therapies, from liposuction (surgical removal) to massage, body wraps and most popular of all, “anti cellulite” creams. These creams affect only the skin’s appearance and have absolutely no effect on the fat itself. No cosmetic product can change the structure of your body. A poor diet and lack of physical activity can result in poor muscle tone and excess weight gain. This can cause more fat in specific areas of the body. This excess fat creates a cottage cheese appearance. Where the additional fat is located depends upon your genetics. Females typically have extra layers of fat on the hips and thighs. Males usually gain fat in the abdominal region. Instead of worrying about those specific areas, try getting involved in total body aerobic exercises. This will help burn fat all over the body. Aerobic exercise is the only way to rid excess fat from the body.
Nobody's going to see my thighs, so I'm covered (wink,wink).0 -
After seeing my thighs in a swimsuit today, i went with the obvious topic: the much hated cellulite
Fallacy Of Weight Loss Fitness Programs: Cellulite is a special kind of fat that can be specifically targeted.
Fact: Cellulite is a term coined to describe the dimpled, bumpy fat that often appears on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. Cellulite is nothing more than a lot of fat in certain areas with a slightly different skin texture. This stubborn fat has inspired various therapies, from liposuction (surgical removal) to massage, body wraps and most popular of all, “anti cellulite” creams. These creams affect only the skin’s appearance and have absolutely no effect on the fat itself. No cosmetic product can change the structure of your body. A poor diet and lack of physical activity can result in poor muscle tone and excess weight gain. This can cause more fat in specific areas of the body. This excess fat creates a cottage cheese appearance. Where the additional fat is located depends upon your genetics. Females typically have extra layers of fat on the hips and thighs. Males usually gain fat in the abdominal region. Instead of worrying about those specific areas, try getting involved in total body aerobic exercises. This will help burn fat all over the body. Aerobic exercise is the only way to rid excess fat from the body.
Nobody's going to see my thighs, so I'm covered (wink,wink).
Mine either, I'll go for those old fashion swimming suits with full bloomers! :flowerforyou: At least we are getting healthier on the inside!0
This discussion has been closed.