In recent years, the online fitness community has experienced a surge of misinformation from fitness influencers and uncertified nutritionists. This has caused widespread confusion regarding workout techniques and diets and hurt the large number of newcomers entering the fitness community. Eli Max, a fitness enthusiast, and long-time gym membership holder, recognizes the challenges these newcomers face, especially those without the professional guidance of a trainer or nutritionist. For this reason, Eli Max will strive to debunk the most common weight loss myths within this blog.
Cardio is the Most Effective Way to Lose Weight
When walking into a gym, you will often see the majority of gym-goers gravitate to the cardio section. Whether it’s an elliptical, treadmill, or stair master, more often than not, people trying to lose weight will predominantly rely on cardio exercises to burn calories. Unfortunately, cardio is not the most effective way to lose weight. Weight loss is a simple equation that takes place when people burn more calories than they take in. While cardio is excellent for heart health and will help gym-goers burn a moderate amount of calories, it will take longer than other exercises. Compared to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts or strength training, cardio is not as quick or as effective when it comes to burning calories.
Fat Turns Into Muscle and Muscle can Turn Into Fat
When people are looking to lose weight, they will say they are turning fat into muscle. While it is easy to see where the confusion stems from, this is not true. You can burn fat by being in a caloric deficit, and you can build muscle by increasing strength training volume, but you cannot replace fat with muscle. Fat and muscle are two different types of tissue located in different areas of the body. Stored fat within the body can be found around internal organs, just under the skin, and in fatty deposits. Muscle, on the other hand, is stored beneath fat and can develop underneath layers of fat. For that new muscle to show, gym-goers must still deplete the layer of fat.
You Can Lose Gains After One Week of Inactivity
It happens all the time; a gym-attendee will injure themselves and become anxious that they will lose their gains during their recovery. Rest assured, this is not true. According to a 2007 study published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, athletes who exercise regularly (several times a week over the course of several months) can remain inactive for up to four weeks before strength and muscle mass will diminish. However, if you are just starting your fitness routine, your gains are more likely to eradicate quickly after an injury.
