Fitness myth pet peeves...

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

so meanwhile....you really can't lose fat at the same time that you gain muscle? can someone please cite some science on that, because it's a new one for me. also because I've put on some nice new muscle while losing 42 pounds. So if I have more muscle, which I definitely do, where did the 42 pounds come from if not from fat? I can't find any authoritative sources online to back up this assertion, very interested in anything you could show me.

This is long but it's a good read:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html

The author is Lyle McDonald who is a pretty well-respected source.

There are certain circumstances in which a person can gain muscle on a deficit. If you're a newbie or an obese person it's possible, although newbie gains are limited. A lot of people mistake gaining strength for gaining mass. You can increase your strength quite a bit without gaining muscle mass, and that can definitely happen in a deficit. As you lose fat you'll uncover you muscle as well, which is why a lot of people think they're gaining muscle. It's not new muscle, it's just that it's a lot more visible because the fat is gone. And also you'll see water retention for muscle repair when you start lifting, which can make the muscles look bigger temporarily.

OK, thanks for this. I certainly see the sense in saying that it's virtually impossible to do a pound-for-pound "exchange" if you will of losing a pound of fat while gaining a pound of muscle. But certainly the idea of losing weight while gaining muscle is not a myth at all. I understand about strength vs. muscle mass and also loss of fat making muscles more apparent....but I've been doing a lot of exercise of various types oriented toward gaining muscle, and there's no two ways about it...there's more muscle.

I'll give you the context in which I would tell someone that they are not gaining muscle.

Often someone will post that it's their second week and they've run for an hour a day, eaten 1200 calories every day, and they haven't lost weight (or they've gained a pound or two). Someone will inevitably say "muscle weighs more than fat! You're gaining muscle!" In that case I would say no, eating 1200 calories and not doing any strength training, in two weeks, that is not going to be muscle gain.

Or it will be someone who is relatively lean already talking about how they get hyuge from running on the elliptical. That's most likely someone who is seeing definition and thinking it means muscle building.

Also newbie gains are pretty finite and minimal. You're not going to see 10 lbs of newbie gains in a month, for example. If a person is gaining weight like that then they are either retaining water or they are eating too much.

LiftAllThePizzas

...but I've been doing a lot of exercise of various types oriented toward gaining muscle, and there's no two ways about it...there's more muscle.

By what means are you measuring this?

savithny

Not necessarily fitness myth but rather a forum posts...the "Im having a hard time eating 1200 calories a day" posts really get to me.

Really? You have a hard time eating 1200 calories? Now explain to me how in the *kitten* you got to where you are today?

Blows my effin mind.

I do not understand why this is so hard for so many on here to understand.

Look at it this way...

If a person has spent years over eating say 3000 or 6000 or even more calories a day (hypothetical numbers there) in the form of cream cakes, pizzas, pies and french fries or any other junk food you care to mention and then suddenly change to a diet of fresh vegetables and very lean meats etc., they really might struggle to meet 1200 calories in a day. It takes a HUGE amount of vegetation to meet those calories especially if they are avoiding starchy ones like potatoes, pumpkins and such, but such a tiny amount of unhealthy food to reach huge caloric intakes.

See what I mean?

Add some FAT to those fresh vegetables, it should be easy to get to at least 1200, and they'll actually absorb their fat-soluable vitamins from all those fresh leafy greens.

Seriously. I think it may be FAT FEAR that peeves me more than anything. "I"m eating so CLEAN! Nonfat everything!! I just can't eat enough calories!" When an ounce of almonds or a couple of tablespoons of guacamole or a nice glug of olive oil will put them well over 1200.

weightlossforbrian

all you have to do is this 6 minute work out. and you can eat what ever you wish!!!!



yeahhhhh.....

arcticfox04

You don't have to rerack the weights :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Mommybug2

Not a "myth" but a pet peeve is when people log log things like "burned 6 calories walking to mailbox"

And then others comment with "everything adds up, way to go" or "great burn"

Please, just consider that apart of your normal routine. That's not exercise.

This and those posts logging six hours of 'insert activity' for an MFP calculated burn of @2500 calories then posts how they went to the pool/park/zoo with their kid that day. Hello? Six hours implies you spent six hours intensely involved in that activity. Don't get me wrong if you spent all day walking around the zoo I'm sure you burned some calories but you also stopped to look at every animal, probably stopped to eat, maybe sat a bit while the kids played. Then to top it off they have an 2000 calorie dinner to "make up for it". Sigh - These are inevitably the same people who complain they don't lose weight