Fitness Misconceptions that drive you nuts?

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Replies

  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat at a deficit


    ugh
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    "Muscle weighs more than fat..."
    Stop right there.
  • kessler4130
    kessler4130 Posts: 150 Member
    That if you have trouble meeting your calorie goals, and you are usually under 1200 (unintentionally), that you are a) lying b) attention seeking or c) not logging accurately.

    Also, that you will "shock" your body, put it into starvation mode, you will not lose weight, you will be "hangry", tried, lack energy, be starving and generally a miserable person.

    Well aside from the fact that half of this is entirely true because science is a real thing that actually exists, and your body is designed to preserve fat to an extent to provide you energy to find food so you can .... well not die. However it would only do this in a long term starvation situation where it would begin to utilize your lean body mass instead, so you will still lose weight, just the wrong weight. So now you are not only failing to lean out, you are losing lean muscle mass effectively driving down your base metabolic needs as the more muscle you have, the more calories are needed to maintain them. Looking at your diary, you have several days with less than 50 grams of protein, that is just fine if you goal body weight is 80 pounds at 0% body fat but unless you are 4' tall that is insane. But hey, you don't have to believe in science Tom Cruise said it's a religion, what do I know.
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat at a deficit


    ugh

    wait....what?
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    "Muscle weighs more than fat..."
    "when volume is constant" is implied and understood even by my favorite 8 year old.
  • I_need_moar_musclez
    I_need_moar_musclez Posts: 499 Member
    If you don't eat all the protein within 20 minutes of lifting, you'll instantly shrink to the size of a PoW.
  • CupcakeCrusoe
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,484 Member
    I've had a ton of people- people I care about, tell me that long distance running is really, really bad for me. That it's going to make me die sooner.

    I'm not talking about marathon distance every other day. I'm talking about a few kms every other day.
  • twrobbel
    twrobbel Posts: 132 Member
    If I have to listen to ONE more person tell me they just can't possibly lose because of a thyroid condition while they shove bags of chips in their face... >_< Bonus points if they have never even been diagnosed by a doctor and just assume they have it.

    My thyroid hasn't functioned on its own since I was 8. If you're off meds, yes, it does make it much harder and sometimes even maintaining weight is really hard to do... but you can fix that by (guess what!) GETTING ON MEDICATION. You have to actually DO something about it for it to get better. Will it make weight just fall off you without effort? No. You still have to work for it, and you may even have to work harder than some other people have to. It sucks, but too bad. It is NOT impossible.

    True- as long as you are on the right dose. That is where the battle occurs. Many doctors under treat. But yes, I agree if you are on the correct dose.
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    "You need to lift weights to gain strength"

    - you don't, you just need sufficient intensity of resistance and leverage to challenge a muscle or set of muscles to stimulate neural adaptation. This can be achieved through a sufficiently challenging style or program of yoga, callisthenics and yes, though I hate to admit it - Pilates.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    So- no I do not agree that it's knit picking- it's about using the correct words to properly describe a concept to someone and NO- not everyone grasps the concept that 1 pound of bowling ball is the same as 1 pound of feathers- you're assuming... quiet a bit actually.

    Well, if you insist in nit picking, then let me point out the the phrase is *nit* picking. As in picking the tiny eggs of insects, called nits, off of your body. But I knew what you meant.

    I was saying it wasn't nit picking... merely pointing out the right word for the right concept.

    Which is what you're doing... and it's not a nit picky thing- it's just the fact... I used the wrong word- you're correcting me. (Thank you by the way)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat.

    Vegan raw hippy food is how to be a healthy good person.

    Women should only use machines and group classes.

    Yoga is for women only. (I think this one came from some dude that didn't realize half of yoga was observing the fauna.)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,865 Member
    I was saying it wasn't nit picking... merely pointing out the right word for the right concept.

    Rigour = nit-picking though, apparently...

    Some of these phrases do make me go all grammar nazi though, including the muscle/ fat debate. One active thread at the moment causes twitches every time I see the title; less/ fewer with respect to reps...
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    "You need to lift weights to gain strength"

    - you don't, you just need sufficient intensity of resistance and leverage to challenge a muscle or set of muscles to stimulate neural adaptation. This can be achieved through a sufficiently challenging style or program of yoga, callisthenics and yes, though I hate to admit it - Pilates.
    Exactly. :smile:
  • JeriAnne84
    JeriAnne84 Posts: 543 Member
    My gym teacher in high school made the boys do sit ups and the girls do crunches because sit ups will damage a girl's uterus. I don't know if it makes it shoot out and possibly smack someone in the face or what makes them so damaging.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    "You need to lift weights to gain strength"

    - you don't, you just need sufficient intensity of resistance and leverage to challenge a muscle or set of muscles to stimulate neural adaptation. This can be achieved through a sufficiently challenging style or program of yoga, callisthenics and yes, though I hate to admit it - Pilates.

    You can do Pilates as long as you're doing something else that you can credit the strength gains too :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I was saying it wasn't nit picking... merely pointing out the right word for the right concept.

    Rigour = nit-picking though, apparently...

    Some of these phrases do make me go all grammar nazi though, including the muscle/ fat debate. One active thread at the moment causes twitches every time I see the title; less/ fewer with respect to reps...

    lulz- truth.
    My gym teacher in high school made the boys do sit ups and the girls do crunches because sit ups will damage a girl's uterus. I don't know if it makes it shoot out and possibly smack someone in the face or what makes them so damaging.
    omg- I'd punch someone- that's just SO asinine.
  • SinCityFit
    SinCityFit Posts: 96
    I'm just curious to see what you guys have heard from people who don't know anything about fitness.

    My most recent one? "Running makes your boobs smaller" *eye twitch*

    Running most definitely made mine smaller :\

    Granted, they were full of fat before, but still.....

    I went through a binging period where I gained 30 lbs (20 lbs lighter than that now) and I would look down and think to myself... they ARE right! I had trouble fitting on dresses that fit before... and the stomach or legs or arms were not the issue.....

    Running didn't make them smaller. Eating at a calorie deficit and losing body fat made them smaller. My friend genuinely believes that if she runs (and only runs without any kind of diet change or calorie deficit) her boobs will get smaller, and that simply isn't the case.

    Uh, yes it will...... if you do NOT change your diet AT ALL and you were not gaining, you can lose weight with just exercise :)
  • ashesfromfire
    ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
    Not sure if this counts, but a woman I used to work with told me all the weight I lost was just "water weight". I was down almost 60 pounds at the time. I tried to be nice and said something along the lines of, "well maybe, but I track everything I eat, keep a consistent calorie deficit, and work out at least 5 times a week. "
    She just rolled her eyes and said, "yeah, its amazing how much extra water you were carrying around"
    :laugh: :noway: :tongue:
    So yeah, apparently fat loss is not a thing.......
  • Lemongrab13
    Lemongrab13 Posts: 206 Member
    "I don't want to bulk, I just want to tone up"
    Tone up...
    It's just...it's so...it's....
    Ugh :noway:
  • healthyfoxx
    healthyfoxx Posts: 104 Member
    If I have to listen to ONE more person tell me they just can't possibly lose because of a thyroid condition while they shove bags of chips in their face... >_< Bonus points if they have never even been diagnosed by a doctor and just assume they have it.

    My thyroid hasn't functioned on its own since I was 8. If you're off meds, yes, it does make it much harder and sometimes even maintaining weight is really hard to do... but you can fix that by (guess what!) GETTING ON MEDICATION. You have to actually DO something about it for it to get better. Will it make weight just fall off you without effort? No. You still have to work for it, and you may even have to work harder than some other people have to. It sucks, but too bad. It is NOT impossible.

    True- as long as you are on the right dose. That is where the battle occurs. Many doctors under treat. But yes, I agree if you are on the correct dose.

    It's a battle either way. I'm not saying it is easy at all. My energy levels still fluctuate a lot, and I really don't think I can eat as much as others and lose weight (unless I am very, very active).

    I just get irritated when people self-diagnose with it, or they just use it as a flat out excuse to not even try.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    I'm just curious to see what you guys have heard from people who don't know anything about fitness.

    My most recent one? "Running makes your boobs smaller" *eye twitch*

    Running most definitely made mine smaller :\

    Granted, they were full of fat before, but still.....

    I went through a binging period where I gained 30 lbs (20 lbs lighter than that now) and I would look down and think to myself... they ARE right! I had trouble fitting on dresses that fit before... and the stomach or legs or arms were not the issue.....

    Running didn't make them smaller. Eating at a calorie deficit and losing body fat made them smaller. My friend genuinely believes that if she runs (and only runs without any kind of diet change or calorie deficit) her boobs will get smaller, and that simply isn't the case.

    Uh, yes it will...... if you do NOT change your diet AT ALL and you were not gaining, you can lose weight with just exercise :)

    Also known as a calorie deficit :) But I understand what you meant in relation to her friend.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    that walking doesn't count as exercise and if you do count it you "may as well be counting how many times you walk to the bathroom because its the same thing" I actually was told this in this forum before. Too bad that is exactly how I have lost my weight. :laugh: I guess "going to the bathroom" really pays off. lol
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    that walking doesn't count as exercise and if you do count it you "may as well be counting how many times you walk to the bathroom because its the same thing" I actually was told this in this forum before. Too bad that is exactly how I have lost my weight. :laugh: I guess "going to the bathroom" really pays off. lol

    Oh don't get me started! Walking is the best kind of exercise. You can make it as easy or as hard as you want. It's highly adjustable so it has something to offer to every fitness level. You can adjust speed, incline and carried weight, each of which adds to the challenge and calories burned. Try brisk walking a 15 incline at 4 mph carrying a 50 pound weighted vest and you will burn roughly the same amount as sprinting a 6 minute mile with no added weight or incline!
  • biggsterjackster
    biggsterjackster Posts: 419 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat

    I am sure, this is the absolute biggest misconception.

    How so? Please explain the physics in detail.
  • biggsterjackster
    biggsterjackster Posts: 419 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat

    I am sure, this is the absolute biggest misconception.

    How so? Please explain the physics in detail.

    LOL, now I am confused. Oh yes, wait, 1 lbs fat weighs a lot more than 1 lbs of muscle.
  • SaltNBurnBoys
    SaltNBurnBoys Posts: 170 Member
    I'm just curious to see what you guys have heard from people who don't know anything about fitness.

    My most recent one? "Running makes your boobs smaller" *eye twitch*

    Running most definitely made mine smaller :\

    Granted, they were full of fat before, but still.....

    I went through a binging period where I gained 30 lbs (20 lbs lighter than that now) and I would look down and think to myself... they ARE right! I had trouble fitting on dresses that fit before... and the stomach or legs or arms were not the issue.....

    Running didn't make them smaller. Eating at a calorie deficit and losing body fat made them smaller. My friend genuinely believes that if she runs (and only runs without any kind of diet change or calorie deficit) her boobs will get smaller, and that simply isn't the case.

    Uh, yes it will...... if you do NOT change your diet AT ALL and you were not gaining, you can lose weight with just exercise :)

    That's assuming your regular diet isn't a surplus and you aren't gaining. (Which she is.)
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    ... actually no, I can't be bothered to troll today ...

    edit: post deleted by poster
  • Giddyduck
    Giddyduck Posts: 212 Member
    I had to jump in just cause it is a fun topic...

    I went to my doctor for an annual checkin and verbalized frustration regarding my plateaus...My MD (who is overweight) you are fine and probably should stop trying. If you keep losing, you are at risk for a decreased immune system. Luckily, I am a nurse and work with him and called BS.

    But imagine all the people out there....sheesh
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,149 Member
    That if you're eating at a deficit you will lose.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Spot reduction

    " I'm doing 100 crunches a day to reduce my big belly "


    :laugh:

    This.
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