Myths About the Unwanted Effects of Working Out

With the current fashion trend of slim equals beautiful, many women have at one time or another thought about going to the beauty clinics in order to get back into shape only to be deterred by the high cost of a single session, never mind the multiple sessions that are often required. So what options do women have? With the safety and side effects of slimming pills in doubt, most of them will finally resort to the hard way which is working out.

So we are here today to solve the myths about the unwanted effects of working out that woman so commonly hear about which can potentially put their workout plans on hold.

Myth No.1 - I must eat less in order to lose weight.

This is not true. You need not eat less to lose weight but what you must not do is eat in excess of what your body requires. This is because if you eat more than what you can burn off, the excess energy will be converted into fat. In other words, increasing your activity level is actually a better way to balance the equation. Think about it, when you eat less, you are actually telling your body to switch into survival mode by resorting to burning off lean muscles instead of fat. But by exercising, in addition to burning of the fat, you also improve your general well being.

Myth No.2 - My muscle will turn into fat when I stop exercising.

We have all learned during our biology classes that muscle and fat are two different types of tissues. So does one turn into another? The answer is no. So in that case, how come my friends balloons when they stop exercising? Well this is because, when you exercise, you will eventually build more muscle, which consumes more energy than fat, hence you will naturally increase your calorie intake to compensate for the deficit. However, when you stop exercising, without noticing it you are actually letting your muscle mass drop but you will most likely to continue eating as much as if you are still exercising. So as already explained earlier, when you eat in excess of what your body can burn, the rest becomes converted to fat.

Myth No.3 - I do not have time to exercise.

This is false and it is in fact an excuse. If you can not afford to go to the gym to workout, try using the stairs instead of the lift. You could even try to play a game of football or basketball with your children. Otherwise, take your dog for a walk. The basic rule is if you do not start sweating or feel yourself breathing faster, then whatever you are doing is not an exercise.

Myth No.4 - I can compensate for not working out by sitting in the sauna.

This is absolutely not true. What you will lose in a sauna is water through sweating. You do not lose fat in such a way, do you? In fact, the amount of water loss must be adequately replaced.

Myth No.5 - I will end up with Popeye like muscles if I work out.

Well this is false unless you seriously work out as if you are preparing for a Mr. Universe competition. Women after all do not have enough testosterone to look like Sylvester Stallone. Similarly, some women complain that doing sit-ups repeatedly will give them the six-pack muscle. This is unlikely to happen unless you have managed to reduce your overall body fat.

Myth No.6 - Men Do Not Have Cellulite.

This is also not true probably to the delight of many women who once thought it to be true. Cellulite is in fact the result of gravity acting on the excess of body fat. Of course, it is often more obvious in women because they tend to carry with them extra fat in areas where the skin sags.