Myths are common in those areas of studies and subjects which are popular worldwide. Fitness is one of those popular subjects in our modern world which is why there are tons of fitness myths spread around among fitness enthusiasts and athletes. These myths not only can hinder your fitness journey but also obstruct you from maximum muscle and strength growth. Anyway, all the myths regarding fitness cannot be explained in one article so we have included the top 5 biggest fitness myths that you have to avoid if you want to excel in your fitness journey with science-based facts, not myths.
Myth 1: Consume Egg Whites not Whole Egg!
This is one of the most common and biggest fitness myths that is spread across the whole world. The myth is that you should always consume only egg whites and avoid the yolks as egg whites provide the protein and yolks can’t. So, you need to consume egg whites only to gain muscles and stay fit.
But, the reality is that yolk has many important nutrients that our body needs as well as a small amount of protein too. People avoid yolks thinking that it has fat and cholesterol but the truth is, it has good cholesterol that promotes heart health and good fats that your body needs for recovering your muscles from injury as well as for providing you energy. So, if you are truly a fitness enthusiast or athlete who takes care of the body properly, you need to consume whole eggs, not egg whites only.
Myth 2: Muscles Turn into Fat!
This may be is the funniest fitness myth I have ever heard. Many people think that once you stop going to the gym and stop working out, your muscles will turn into fat! First of all, there is no relation between muscle tissues and fats as their molecules are totally different from each other. So, there is no scientific logic behind this myth. Secondly, your muscles will start to lose after 2-3 weeks of not working out, and eventually, you will lose all your muscle gains due to the fact that they will no longer be put under tension to make them stronger and bigger.
But, losing muscles doesn’t mean that you will gain fat. If you keep your diet and nutrition in check, you will gain no fat and live with a healthy body easily. But, if you make your diet filled with junk foods with high carbs & trans fats just because, you don’t work out now, you will not only gain fat but also lose your health. And believe me, those fats will come from the junk foods, not from the muscles that you will have lost obviously.
Myth 3: No Pain, No Gain!
This one is a very popular fitness myth yet quite controversial. Yes, a certain amount of pain or muscle soreness is necessary to put maximum pressure on your muscles to build them bigger and stronger but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the more you make your muscles sore with training, the more they will grow. No, your body and science don’t work like that. Actually, the more you make your muscles sore, the more chances of injury will occur.
Let’s know the reality now. If your muscles don’t get sore, it doesn’t mean that they are not under enough tension and they are not growing. Muscles actually should not be sored that much when they are torn at the micro level. These microtears lead to stronger and bigger muscles. So, if you really work hard and get sore for 24 to 72 hours after a workout then you are facing DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which is neither proof of muscle growth nor injury.
However, your muscles can still grow within DOMS but not more than while you’re not facing DOMS. So, it doesn’t have any advantage. Now, if your muscle soreness exceeds 72 hours then you might have injured your muscles. If the soreness exceeds 7 days then your muscles are certainly injured and you need to take rest and consult to your doctor before going to the gym again.
Therefore, it is proven that no pain doesn’t mean no gain and pain doesn’t always mean gain. Consult with your trainer and combine your hard work with some smart decisions & changes to your training and workout to improve your fitness journey.
Myth 4: Consume only Protein, avoid Carbs & Fats!
This fitness myth is somewhat related to the myth of eating egg whites. The reason why people think to ditch egg yolks & eat only egg whites is the same reason people think to avoid carbs and fats totally. If you think that consuming protein and protein alone would be the best for your fitness and muscle growth then you are quite wrong. Your body needs all three macronutrients to work flawlessly. So, you have to eat healthy complex carbs in a moderate amount to keep your energy up and you need good fats like Omega 3 fatty acids which help you to recover your muscles from your workout sessions.
This will ultimately lead to more muscle gain due to more energy while working out and better recovery in rest time. Just keep in mind that both carb and fat should be the healthier and the good one. Moreover, they should be consumed at a moderate amount depending on your diet plan. Simple high carb spicy foods and trans fats from junk foods will only give you unhealthy and stubborn body fats with higher chances of diseases.
Myth 5: You can Target Specific Body Parts for Fat Loss!
This last one is another very common fitness myth believed by millions of fitness enthusiasts and athletes. They think that you can target specific body part for fat loss. But unfortunately no, science and our body don’t work like that simple. If you are targeting a specific body part, your muscles will be stronger and they will grow but it doesn’t mean that you will lose fat in that area particularly.
People who work out for losing belly fat only by doing abs workout are going to the wrong direction. Sure, they can make their abs visible by growing them but there will be no chance of losing fat only in the belly. So, if you are maintaining your calorie intake with caloric deficit diet plan and performing cardio or high-intensity exercises then you can lose fat from your whole body, not from any specific areas. So, you can easily lose fat from your body without targeting any areas specifically which is pointless totally.
Conclusion
Therefore guys, these are the 5 biggest fitness myths that you should avoid immediately if you want to grow more and excel in your fitness journey. Whatever your goal in this journey is, always believe in science-based facts not any myths or random people’s advises so that your journey of fitness can continue without any stupid illogical hindrances. Go to any certified coach, learn from him/her and build small steps smartly in order to achieve your goal. Hopefully, you have now understood about all these 5 common fitness myths and why we should avoid them for our betterment in fitness. Don’t forget to express your valuable thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting and appreciating our work.