Be Active

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b e a c t i v e

5 Fat Burning & Exercise Myths! The problem with fat burning myths is that in addition to being misleading, they give false hope to millions of people trying to lose weight - resulting in wasting your time, money and mental effort. We also see many of these myths used as justification for cheating on a diet, watching countless men and women excuse their “treats” be- cause they believe they are on some type of magical exercise program or nutrition plan. It’s time for some healthy “myth-busting!”

MYTH 3: You can target ‘problem’ areas by spot training Truth: Spot training is the belief that you can shed pounds in a specific area by only doing exercises involving those muscles. Unfortunately this theory is just too good to be true. If you are after an ever elusive six-pack stomach, overall calories burned is more important than the number of crunches you do. When the body burns fat, it burns from every part of the body, not from one target area. Different parts of the body also contain different types of fat (i.e. adipose tis- sue in the legs versus visceral fat around the abdomen) and these types of fat will respond differently to exercise. When shopping for exercise equip- ment, look for equipment that will work your whole body versus the “ Ab Cruncher ” or “ Thigh Master Plus! ” Truth: For the cost of one month’s fees at a gym, you can create a great workout space in any home. For a one-time investment of $60- $100 on equipment, you will have what you need to work every muscle in the body. A good at home workout starter kit should include: a properly sized stability ball, an exercise mat, a set of 3-8 pound dumbbells and a skipping rope. Combine these pieces with a step or two at the bottom of a staircase, a clear space on the floor for jumping or running on the spot and you have just created a perfect workout space! MYTH 4: You need to join an expensive gym to stay in shape

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MYTH 1: Exercising on an empty stomach burns more fat

MYTH 2: If women lift weights they will become bulky and masculine Truth: The truth is to get a body like the bodybuilders you see on television, you have to work very hard and stick to a very regimented diet. In other words, lifting 8 pound dumbbells three times per week, won’t get you there, and for women, that’s good news! Strength training ( lifting weights) is actually very important for females as doing so helps increase bone mass and decreases your chance of developing osteoporosis. Muscle mass also increases the number of calories you burn a day. For each pound of muscle .................................................................. you gain, you will burn .................................................................. approximately 35-50 .................................................................. more calories per day.

Truth: Many people believe that working out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the best approach to burning fat. The fact is there is no scientific evidence to support this theory. The key to burning fat is to exercise at a high intensity consistently, so find a time of day where you can stick to your routine - be it morning, noon or night. Some people find they can get through a whole workout on an empty stomach and still keep up the intensity, but at the first sign of light headedness or dizzi- ness, it’s time to change your routine! Before you exercise, try a fast digesting carbohy- drate such as white bread or drink a fruit smoothie to keep your energy levels from dip- ping mid workout.

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