Top fitness myths

Top fitness myths

Fitness isn’t just something we say to impress out friends, but fitness is something that everybody should do, because it will help you keep yourself in shape and stay healthy. But, because the fitness industry is so huge and so wildly commercial, many myths fitness myths have formed over the years that make those of us who are not fitness experts believe false information. It is time to bust the most popular fitness myths and set the record straight.

Crunches = flat stomach

Stomach is one of the most popular so called problem areas on a human body, because many want to get rid of the fat on their stomach and sport flat stomachs. And because of this there is a myth that doing crunches and only crunches will get you to flat stomach. But the truth is that only crunches won’t give you flat stomach or abs for that matter. Yes, a lot of crunches will strengthen your core muscles, but, since they don’t burn a lot of calories and they are in no way cardio exercises, they won’t help to get that flat tummy. For flat stomach to appear there needs to be fat loss and only then we can talk about abs. On top of that, since crunches only tone a small portion of abdominal muscles, actually exercises like planks and bridges will be better stomach toning workouts, and will get you to flat stomach if you combine them with cardio and a healthy diet.

Stretching = no muscle soreness or pain

Another myth that also is debunked is that stretching will make your body recover much quicker after a workout and if you stretch right after, then your muscles won’t be sore the next day. But a study done by University of Milan actually found that stretching doesn’t significantly change blood lactate levels, meaning that your muscles won’t become less some after a workout if you stretch. Some might argue that this statement is not true, because it feels good to stretch after a workout. And it probably feels so good, because, by stretching your muscles after a workout when they are warm, you increase their flexibility and therefore your range of motion and overall will feel better.

Sweating = working hard enough, burning a lot of calories

And then there is the myth of if you are sweating a lot and drenched after a workout, then you have worked out hard enough to burn a ton of calories. But the truth is that more sweating doesn’t equal more calories burned, since sweating has nothing to to with calorie burn. Sweating is the way your body regulates its temperature and therefore the way your body gets rid of heat. So you might sweat a ton if you are working out when it is hot outside and might not sweat only a little or not at all when you are doing a light weather in a cold room. So don’t count on sweating being a great indicator for calorie burn. The intensity of your workout is a much better sign of calorie burn.

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Tips for working out in summer heat

Tips for working out in summer heat

Summer is great time for many different outdoors activities, because the sun is shining, it is warm outside and you can stay outside without having to wear winter boots and jackets. However, when a heat wave hits, then the weather gets into the next extreme and again, because it is too hot to do anything, but especially to workout. But if you still want to or have to exercise during the summer heat, read these helpful tips that will make sure that you don’t overheat and that you actually can get in a decent workout.

Drink water and maintain electrolytes and salt levels

First and foremost, in order to lead successful workouts in summer heat, especially if the workouts are intense, you need to not only stay hydrated and also to keep up your electrolytes and salt water levels. Hydration in very hot weather is tricky, since when it is hot you sweat a lot and therefore lose not only water but also salt and electrolytes, so to stay in tip top shape when it is hot and you are exercising, which makes your body feel even hotter, you need to replenish not only your bodies water levels but salt and electrolyte levels, too. To do that not only drink a couple of glasses of water before the workout, but also bring a bottle of water to your workout and try to take a sip about every 15 to 20 minutes, because this will help your body not to get dehydrated. But to replenish the salt and electrolytes in your body, take something like sodium and electrolyte packets after the workout, so your body also don’t experience hyponatermia, which is over-hydration without having the electrolytes and salts your body need to keep functioning normally.

Don’t work out during mid-day if possible

The second advice any athlete or fitness expert will give you, when it comes to working out during a heat wave is to try not to do it between about 10 or 11 in the morning through 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Usually these are the times when the heat is the worse, so you can experience not only dehydration but also overheating. In the early mornings and in the evenings the temperatures usually a bit lower and therefore your body will feel much better in them.

Choose where you workouts

And lastly you also should choose where you do your workout, especially if it is in an extreme summer heat. Places like forest trails or pathways, parks with a lot of trees or places that get shade from buildings or other objects will be the best, because this will ensure that you aren’t getting extra heat from the sun and your workout will go easier. Also I would advise to do your workout in an area that is not close to a highway or that is not located in or close to city center, as usually it is hotter there, since the asphalt tends to heat up quickly making the temperatures above it seem even higher. And whenever you feel like you will faint or are getting sick during any workout, but especially if you are exercising when it is hot outside, take a break or just stop exercising, because your body is telling you that it cannot handle this kind of stress and you will only be doing damage to it if you keep on going ignoring the bad feelings.

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Fitness tips that you won’t regret reading

Fitness tips that you won’t regret reading

Fitness is something that everybody should do at least in some capacity, because exercising will keep you healthy and feeling good. However, if you are just starting out in the world of working out and getting in shape, the huge amount information that is available on the internet and in other information outlets can be very confusing. So to make sure that you don’t get lost in the wast amount of fitness knowledge, here are some of the most valuable fitness tips, that I wish I knew when I started getting into exercising, eating healthy and being fit.

You need carbs

There is this huge stigma around carbs that is hunting the fitness and nutrition world, because many people still think that the only way how to lose fat is to cut out all carbs. But the truth is that your body actually need carbs, because carbs is like fuel to our organisms. And especially is you are exercising regularly you need to consume carbs at at least before your workouts, for your body to be able to get through the sweat session and not crash. Of coarse that also doesn’t give you a free pass to stuff your face with pasta, white bread and other foods that are rich in carbs. But it does mean that you need some carbs, even if it is in a form of a couple of crackers, to fuel your next exercising session.

Train in intervals

It might seem like running, cycling or doing any other cardio workout slowly and for a long time might give you better results, bet the truth is that it is better to do cardio in intervals than to just jogging slowly for 40 minutes. So next time it is your cardio day instead of just running in one pace, add in a 20 to 60 second sprints every couple of minutes. Usually this is done by setting up intervals, for example that you sprint 20 seconds and then run at slower pace for 2 minutes to catch your breath. Andhe same techniques can also be applied to any other cardio workout, be it cycling, working out on the elliptical or any other cardio heavy workout. Intervals are great, because not only this type of workout will burn more calories, but also build muscle faster and you will be able to train your endurance, too, because you will really be pushing yourself during the sprints, especially on the second half of your training session.

Make it fun

And lastly probably the best advice I have for those who are just starting to work out is to make the work outs fun or do exercises that are fun to you. One of the main reasons why people stop exercising regularly or can’t force themselves to get moving because they hate or at least dislike the workouts they are doing. So to ensure, that you keep on with your exercises, you should do the fitness activities that you enjoy, be it yoga, dance class, cross fit, boxing or simple running in the fresh air. But what to do if you just can’t seem t find anything that gets you excited about working out? Then maybe you should go different route and instead of finding workouts that you like, search for people that you like working out with. This, too, can also push you to exercise, just because you will want to meet your workout buddies.

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