Fitness: Facts vs Myths
ZacherySmith
Posts: 9 Member
Hello MFP community!
I was wondering if anyone out there had any facts about anything regarding fitness and wanted to share it with myself and the community. Even if you believe it to be "common knowledge" you never know, someone new to a new and fit lifestyle may come across it and it may help them out!
A couple of myths people can bust are some such as: "You must eat your recovery meal within the 30 minute window after working out" or "You always have to keep your back flat while bench pressing."
If anyone has anything to share whatsoever in terms of busting some of these health and diet/fitness/workout myths please share!
Ready, go!
I was wondering if anyone out there had any facts about anything regarding fitness and wanted to share it with myself and the community. Even if you believe it to be "common knowledge" you never know, someone new to a new and fit lifestyle may come across it and it may help them out!
A couple of myths people can bust are some such as: "You must eat your recovery meal within the 30 minute window after working out" or "You always have to keep your back flat while bench pressing."
If anyone has anything to share whatsoever in terms of busting some of these health and diet/fitness/workout myths please share!
Ready, go!
0
Replies
-
Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.0 -
Excellent list. I'll add a few.Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.
Fasted training to burn fat: training fasted is fine if you're up for it, but it doesn't increase fat burn. Glycogen is still in the cells for usage even if you're training fasted (usually most people state this as no consumption of calories before training) and to deplete it to empty levels would be a lot of effort. And if you've ever seen anyone "hit the wall" while physically training, that would be total glycogen depletion and they usually just hit the ground. Fat loss comes down to calorie deficit, not training with zero glycogen stores.
Cardio burns fat: cardio (like other physical activities) burns calories. It helps to create a higher calorie deficit. But if you do cardio and match your TDEE, excess fat isn't going to get burned off. Without a calorie deficit, fat loss isn't going to happen (with the exception of recomp).
Drinking a gallon of water a day: This is a bro ritual that's seen often in gyms. It's great to drink water, but if you inundate the body with excess water it doesn't need, you pee it out. Does it help with weight loss? Well yes if water weight is what you consider weight loss.
Stretching reduces injuries and DOMS: There's no clinical evidence supporting either. Stretching increases flexibility, but injury happens due to "sudden" movements. Many injuries happen with every day life; stepping of a curb, twisting to pick up something, turning your head too fast, reaching high for something, etc. And even with great flexibility, these injuries still happen. Stretching may help DOMS feel better because blood flow in being forced into the area, but microtears aren't being repaired faster because of stretching.
Supplements: 90% are unneeded. And most supplements don't even contain the dosage of the ingredients you expect on the label. They also aren't going to enhance weight loss regardless of promises made on the bottle.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
0 -
My favorite:
You should eat 300 calories under your BMR to lose weight. False
0 -
Myth: You can target fat loss to certain parts of your body. My SIL thinks dumbbells will cure her flabby arms.
Sorry no. Working out your arms or your abs won't make the fat on them shrink faster. It's genetic and your body will decide whether to shrink the fat on your arms first or somewhere else.
Working out your arms or abs has other benefits of course, but shrinking fat there ain't one0 -
DancingDarl wrote: »
Thanks for contributing. I just finished reading the article!0 -
Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.
Thanks for the great myth busting facts here! I even learned a couple things.
One question: When you don't eat for a long time your body goes into a metabolic adaptation mode or more commonly known as "starvation mode." I understand now that you do not necessarily have to eat every 2-3 hours to maximize your weight loss, but how long in between meals would you consider "too long" before your body goes into this metabolic adaptation mode?
I can see what you mean by meeting the over caloric intake goal for the day, but what dictates a safe and unsafe practice for this? For example, what if someone ate nothing all day then all of a sudden ate 2,000 calories for dinner? Your insight is greatly appreciated!0 -
jellebeandesigns wrote: »My favorite:
You should eat 300 calories under your BMR to lose weight. False
Right! haha!0 -
RollTideTri wrote: »Myth: You can target fat loss to certain parts of your body. My SIL thinks dumbbells will cure her flabby arms.
Sorry no. Working out your arms or your abs won't make the fat on them shrink faster. It's genetic and your body will decide whether to shrink the fat on your arms first or somewhere else.
Working out your arms or abs has other benefits of course, but shrinking fat there ain't one
Yes! It's like when you see people at the gym doing 500 sit-ups per day hoping for washboard abs but they're 25% body fat! Sorry sir, but that will only get you very strong abs, not defined abs until you lower that body fat percentage!0 -
Excellent list. I'll add a few.Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.
Fasted training to burn fat: training fasted is fine if you're up for it, but it doesn't increase fat burn. Glycogen is still in the cells for usage even if you're training fasted (usually most people state this as no consumption of calories before training) and to deplete it to empty levels would be a lot of effort. And if you've ever seen anyone "hit the wall" while physically training, that would be total glycogen depletion and they usually just hit the ground. Fat loss comes down to calorie deficit, not training with zero glycogen stores.
Cardio burns fat: cardio (like other physical activities) burns calories. It helps to create a higher calorie deficit. But if you do cardio and match your TDEE, excess fat isn't going to get burned off. Without a calorie deficit, fat loss isn't going to happen (with the exception of recomp).
Drinking a gallon of water a day: This is a bro ritual that's seen often in gyms. It's great to drink water, but if you inundate the body with excess water it doesn't need, you pee it out. Does it help with weight loss? Well yes if water weight is what you consider weight loss.
Stretching reduces injuries and DOMS: There's no clinical evidence supporting either. Stretching increases flexibility, but injury happens due to "sudden" movements. Many injuries happen with every day life; stepping of a curb, twisting to pick up something, turning your head too fast, reaching high for something, etc. And even with great flexibility, these injuries still happen. Stretching may help DOMS feel better because blood flow in being forced into the area, but microtears aren't being repaired faster because of stretching.
Supplements: 90% are unneeded. And most supplements don't even contain the dosage of the ingredients you expect on the label. They also aren't going to enhance weight loss regardless of promises made on the bottle.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thanks for the additional information! Just like I asked Elite_Nal I was wondering if you could possibly share some of your fitness expertise on this matter. Here is the question:
When you don't eat for a long time your body goes into a metabolic adaptation mode or more commonly known as "starvation mode." I understand now that you do not necessarily have to eat every 2-3 hours to maximize your weight loss, but how long in between meals would you consider "too long" before your body goes into this metabolic adaptation mode?
I can see what you mean by meeting the over caloric intake goal for the day, but what dictates a safe and unsafe practice for this? For example, what if someone ate nothing all day then all of a sudden ate 2,000 calories for dinner? Your insight is greatly appreciated!0 -
ZacherySmith wrote: »Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.
Thanks for the great myth busting facts here! I even learned a couple things.
One question: When you don't eat for a long time your body goes into a metabolic adaptation mode or more commonly known as "starvation mode." I understand now that you do not necessarily have to eat every 2-3 hours to maximize your weight loss, but how long in between meals would you consider "too long" before your body goes into this metabolic adaptation mode?
I can see what you mean by meeting the over caloric intake goal for the day, but what dictates a safe and unsafe practice for this? For example, what if someone ate nothing all day then all of a sudden ate 2,000 calories for dinner? Your insight is greatly appreciated!
Adaptive thermogeneis takes a very long time of deprivation.
In term of the short term, completely fasted metabolism does not decrease from something like 72 hours. I would have to look it up, but for meal timing within a 24 hour period, there will be no effect on metabolism if things like calories are kept the same.0 -
I always liked "your musle will turn to fat if you stop working out".0
-
rileysowner wrote: »ZacherySmith wrote: »Myths:
1) "You must consume a meal every 2-3 hours throughout the day". Truth: The "6 meals a day" approach does not increase basal metabolic rate or improve protein synthesis. Just focus on meeting your overall calorie and macronutrient needs for the day as a whole.
2) "You must consume a fast acting post workout shake within an hour after your training session". Truth: Protein digestion is a very gradual process, and the nutrients from your pre workout meal are still being absorbed even after your workout is over. Just get in some basic protein and carbs within a couple hours of your workout from whatever food sources you want.
3) "Don't eat carbs late at night". Truth: Fat loss is not an on/off switch, and the specific timing of your carbohydrate consumption is really a non issue in the context of an overall balanced diet. Carb cutoffs are not going to assist your fat loss efforts, and if you want to eat carbs late at night that's totally fine.
4) "Don't eat before bed". Truth: This ties in with the last point. As long as your total daily energy intake/expenditure remains constant, eating before bed will not hinder your progress.
5) "Stick to slow absorbing carbohydrates". Truth: When you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption rates are slowed down significantly. Worrying about the glycemic index or the absorption speed of your carbs is a complete waste of effort.
6) "You must eat clean all the time". Truth: As long as you're getting 80-90% of your calories from minimally processed whole foods, some "cheat meals" here and there are totally fine to make up the other 10-20%. Flexible dieting or "if it fits your macros" (IIFYM) is a much more sustainable long term approach.
7) "Muscle Confusion". Your muscles and body will quickly adapt and stop responding to the same training program after a few weeks, and therefore you need to constantly switch up your training variables, such as exercise selection and rep ranges, in order to "shock" your muscles and force them to build additional size and strength. Truth: Many trainees who buy into this concept of "muscle confusion workouts" will end up constantly switching up their workout style from week to week trying to spark new gains, but ultimately end up becoming even more stagnant as a result. When it all comes down to it, your muscles respond to overload and progression and simply adapt to the specific movements you present them with. Your muscle tissue does not have a mind of its own, and switching from a dumbbell to a cable or from a leg press to a lunge is not going to magically "shock" the tissue into new growth. If it were really true that muscle confusion workouts were necessary, then it wouldn't be possible for powerlifters to train an entire lifetime doing deadlifts, benches and squats and still experience ongoing progress. If you want to switch your workout up for the sake of variety or to try something different then that's totally fine, but don't buy into the concept that you need to constantly "shock" or "confuse" your muscles from week to week. As long as you train hard and your nutrition plan is on point, you can definitely make ongoing progress on the same routine for literally years on end without even worrying about the concept of muscle confusion training at all.
Thanks for the great myth busting facts here! I even learned a couple things.
One question: When you don't eat for a long time your body goes into a metabolic adaptation mode or more commonly known as "starvation mode." I understand now that you do not necessarily have to eat every 2-3 hours to maximize your weight loss, but how long in between meals would you consider "too long" before your body goes into this metabolic adaptation mode?
I can see what you mean by meeting the over caloric intake goal for the day, but what dictates a safe and unsafe practice for this? For example, what if someone ate nothing all day then all of a sudden ate 2,000 calories for dinner? Your insight is greatly appreciated!
Adaptive thermogeneis takes a very long time of deprivation.
In term of the short term, completely fasted metabolism does not decrease from something like 72 hours. I would have to look it up, but for meal timing within a 24 hour period, there will be no effect on metabolism if things like calories are kept the same.
Very good to know. Now I know as well. Thank you!0 -
TheBeachgod wrote: »I always liked "your musle will turn to fat if you stop working out".
You didn't know that if you stop working out you'll turn into a blob of gelatin? Haha oh man I used to hear that one all the time also.
0 -
oops, too late edit typo. "muscle", not "musle". duh0
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