Spooky Season Fitness Myths
Busting the spookiest fitness myths yet
For the SPOOKIEST month of the year, we’re talking about scary stories (aka common myths) about fitness - and debunking them!
Myth 1: Cardio is the key to weight loss
If I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me: “I need to lose 10lbs, I know I just need to get on the treadmill but I hate it,” I’d be a rich woman. While cardio is essential for overall health, it's not the sole factor in weight loss. If your goal is fat loss, you will likely get faster results from a balanced combination of strength training (lifting weights), a slight calorie deficit, and supplemental cardio. Strength training builds muscle, which increases your metabolism and helps you burn more calories even when you're at rest. This helps your body burn more calories throughout the day, even when you're not actively exercising. While cardio is great for your health, and useful for weight loss, just “doing more cardio” is not always the answer to your fitness goals.
Myth 2: Lifting weights makes you bulky
This is a common misconception, especially for women, that likely stems from bodybuilding culture (which started as a male-only, steroid-heavy sport). If you’ve ever tried to build muscle before, you probably know from experience that it is hard. If it’s hard to build a little muscle, imagine how much work you have to do to look bulky.
If your goal is to gain, you need to be consistently training hard and heavy to even see results. The amount of muscle you are able to build depends on a variety of factors including genetics, hormones, and training intensity. For women, it is nearly impossible to get “bulky” because of our hormones. Muscle growth requires significant amounts of testosterone, and we produce more estrogen and progesterone than testosterone. Additionally, our bodies require a certain percentage of fat to keep our reproductive systems healthy, which means we will almost always retain more fat than our male counterparts, no matter how hard we train.
Reminder: “bulky” has traditionally been labeled unattractive because it does not fall within the parameters of our traditional beauty standards. Women can still bulk and be beautiful! But if you are trying to avoid looking bulky, remember that your “average” weight lifting sessions are not designed to get you there.
Myth 3: The scale and/or BMI is the best way to measure progress
This is not the first or last time I will tell you: the scale is one of the least meaningful ways to measure progress. This does not mean you need to throw away your scale, but remember that it is a tiny piece of a huge puzzle. The scale can be misleading because our weight fluctuates based on all types of factors. One prime example is that you likely weigh more after a workout than before it because of muscle growth, inflammation, and water retention. BMI can be misleading because they don't account for muscle mass, which is denser than fat, among other factors. Additionally, the American Medical Association put out guidance in 2023 discouraging the use of BMI for certain health assessments due to its problematic racial history (read more here). There are plenty of other healthy & more effective ways to measure progress including: how your clothes fit, how you feel, your endurance levels, percentage of skeletal muscle mass & more.
Myth 4: Doing ab exercises will get me a 6 pack
While ab exercises are important for core strength, they won't automatically reveal a six-pack. Your core muscles are hidden under layers of fat & skin. If you are building those muscles without melting the fat above it, you are only doing half the job. In order to build the muscles while reducing the fat, consider doing three things: (1) following a healthy diet and maintaining a slight deficit if you want to “shred”, (2) prioritizing compound movements that require energy (& burn more calories) like squats and deadlifts, (3) engaging your core in every activity you do.
Myth 5: Carbs are bad for you
Carbs are a key macronutrient that are essential for energy and fuel to your body. (YOU NEED CARBS - especially if you’re working out). Sometimes they get a bad reputation because we imagine potato chips, but the truth is carbs range from whole wheat bread to vegetables. The key is to prioritize complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that keep our bodies healthy. And remember the value of your meal comes down to what is in it and how much you eat. By mainly eating complex carbs and avoiding overeating, there is no reason to avoid carbs as a whole.
Myth 6: Sweat and soreness are indicators of a good workout
While sweating and soreness can be signs of a challenging workout, they aren't always reliable indicators of its effectiveness. How much you sweat during a workout is influenced by your environment, genetics, and hydration levels. While it CAN be an indicator that you are putting in work, it does not mean the quality of your workout is improved (if I sweat stretching in a sauna, is that “better” than me squatting outdoors on a cool day?)
Light soreness can be an indicator of muscle growth, but being sore after every workout can actually be a red flag. Intense soreness can be a result of excess inflammation, microtears or trauma to your muscles and connective tissues. This can happen if we try new exercises or train a little too hard. Additionally, when we are very sore, our bodies need extra time to recover which can disrupt our workout schedule and make it harder to stay consistent in the gym.
Sweat and soreness, like most things in fitness, are good in moderation. But don’t worry if neither are very present for you - that is not necessarily a reflection of your gains!
