Unfortunately, most people receive information on how to properly organize training and diet, not from a personal trainer, but from forums, from friends or guided by their own beliefs. In this regard, there are many myths regarding fitness.
We chose the most common of them and asked for comments from Alexander Filimonov, sports training specialist, invited expert of NL International.
Myth 1. "To lose weight, you need to run a lot."
- The main postulate of proper weight loss is to create a calorie deficit. In this myth, there are two mistakes that will not lead to the desired result and, moreover, can cause a completely different effect.
So, as we already know, in order to lose weight, you need to move more (spend calories) and eat less (consume calories). Running is certainly an energy-consuming exercise, but the number of mitochondria (energy stations) involved when running is significantly less than when exercising.
In other words, the processes of fat burning on cardiovascular equipment are much slower than during strength work. Moreover, with active "cardio", first of all, glycogen (energy resources in the form of carbohydrates) is consumed, and then protein (muscles). Which, in turn, tells us that, using active running for weight loss, even with a calorie deficit, we will lose weight, mainly due to muscle mass.
Losing weight due to fat on "cardio" is possible, but again, if two conditions are met: the first is a calorie deficit and the second is training in a low heart rate zone, so as not to use your own protein as energy.
Again, it's not that simple. Taking into account these two factors, not subcutaneous fat will be consumed, but the one that is inside the muscles. Therefore, the way out is classes in the gym and proper nutrition.
Myth 2. "To lose weight, you need to sweat during training" (for this use warm clothes, special belts, film and other devices).
- These methods have nothing to do with lipid metabolism (fat burning). When we lose sweat, we lose fluid along with salts and minerals, and in no way does the fat escape through the pores of the skin. Nevertheless, we disrupt water-salt metabolism, which negatively affects the work of the cardiovascular and excretory systems.
And special films and belts only irritate the skin and prevent it from "breathing", creating the effect of a steam bath, and in fact, simply loss of fluid, but with the possibility of bacteria growth under this film.
Myth 3. "Exercise with extra weight is needed only for men, and for women it is harmful."
- Any strength load causes a greater waste of calories, and, from the point of view of physiology, is absolutely the same for men and women. Girls do not need to be afraid of active muscle growth. Large muscle growth is possible with two options: a calorie surplus (we consume a lot of calories, and specifically protein) and a high level of testosterone, which is an unrealistic aspect for a woman.
Even consuming a high amount of protein will be problematic for a girl, since most of it will simply not be absorbed. The conclusion is simple: for active muscle growth, girls need a high level of male hormones, and a high calorie intake, and strength training by itself will not significantly affect hypertrophy (excessive muscle growth), but will tone the muscles.
Myth 4. "The longer the workout, the more benefits."
- After forty minutes of strength or cardio training, the process of catabolism inevitably begins - the destruction of amino acids in the muscles. In other words, the body begins to use its own protein (muscles) as energy. The ideal workout is a 10 minute warm up and cool down at the end, and 40 minutes of basic strength training. Well, and the use of amino acids in the training process.
Myth 5. "The main rule of losing weight is more training and less food."
- Fair belief, but the follower of such advice will lose weight at the expense of his own muscles. When you are under stress, the hormone cortisol is produced, which, in turn, interferes with the fat burning process and stores this fat in the depot.
Rapid weight loss will be due to muscle mass, and rarely consumed food will be considered by the body as a reserve source, which it will spend only as a last resort, but for now - everything is in the "side".
Myth 6. "It is better not to eat anything before and after training."
- An hour and a half before the planned workout, you need to eat a portion of your usual food. Firstly, this will provide energy before exercise, and secondly, food will already flow from the stomach into the intestines, and the load on the stomach will already be less.
However, it is not recommended to eat immediately before exercise, because all blood during exercise will tend to the organ where the food is located. Plus an unpleasant severity is provided.
Eat a piece of fruit or a chocolate bar before exercising to provide fast energy to your brain and muscles with carbohydrates. After training, you need exclusively protein food, as the basis of the building material of muscles. Moreover, the calorie content of protein is lower than the calorie content of other nutrients, which means creating a calorie deficit, which is so important in losing weight.
Myth 7. "If I do not lose weight, then there is no effect from fitness."
- Remember the picture about a kilogram of fat and a kilogram of muscle? What is more voluminous? At the beginning of training activities, the body may not react at all by means of weight downward, but, nevertheless, an active process of losing weight can go on.
Here you should pay attention to the volumes of your body, as well as to the qualitative analysis of the body (bioimpedance analysis). We can gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time, and this will in no way be displayed on the scales, and perhaps even show upward. Don't panic. With a calorie deficit and active load, the qualitative composition of the body changes, and you should not pay attention to the scales.