Do you ever occasionally feel as though everything that you’re told is an intricate system of lies and truths that whirl around in a spiral of fact and fiction, accepted and rejected? If your answer is no then surely you’re in on the cosmic joke. More often than not we find fads and what exactly is socially acceptable at the time moving in and out of popularity in the public sphere and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
In this Information Age the media messages we are exposed to are constant and virulent, affecting everyone who has ever read a magazine, watched television or surfed the web. They dictate the way we live our lives but how many of these are even true? They’re more than likely backed by commercial interests that we don’t even see. But we’ve got your back. Below you’ll find a list of the most potentially damaging myths perpetuated as reality in terms of the fitness and nutrition world. Our health rests on how we train and what we put into our bodies so get the facts before starting on your journey.
1. Carbs are the enemy
Myth: All carbohydrates are bad for you and make you fat
Reality: While this is true for some carbs, it is an oversimplification and an unhelpful assumption to make. Carbohydrates can be split into two groups: refined and unrefined and by understanding these we can understand what is good and what is bad for us. Refined carbs are those stripped of their nutrients and packed with sugar and include white breads and pasta. Unrefined carbs are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber and include fruit, vegetables and whole grain food.
It appears as though the meaning of the word carbs has been altered and that many people don’t even know what foods fall into this group. Therefore, there needs to be a change in how well we know our food before we start judging it.
2. Crunches
Myth: Doing crunches will give you a Six Pack
Reality: The Six Pack. The Holy Grail. The reaffirmation for all of your hard work is locked in your abs but you won’t get one by just doing crunches. Doing crunches will aid your posture and strengthen the muscles around the area but having a toned or ripped physique is all about body fat percentage.
So, do crunches but don’t forget about the rest of your body in the process. Your body is a single organism made up of different parts that need to be trained together, in unison, in order for you to reach your goals.
3. Don’t eat at night
Myth: You gain more weight by eating at night
Reality: No matter when you eat the fact remains the same: calories are calories. It’s an old tale that eating at night promotes more weight gain than eating during the day. This is not entirely true.
If you’re eating at night then it’s normally safe to assume that you have already eaten during the day. It’s these extra calories that are the reason for your weight gain. Night time also more often than not means snacking and not properly eating and you’re doing nothing but going straight to bed and aren’t burning these calories off. So, either you manage your diet accordingly or increase your activity levels throughout the day to account for the difference. By doing so you’ll keep the pounds off.
4. No Pain – No Gain
Myth: It needs to hurt before it works
Reality: This is one of the most harmful myths, literally, and is aided by photos of ripped body builders straining through extreme workouts, their veins bursting and faces distorting and glowing red. The fact is that no physical exercise should hurt you. Exercise is about getting fit and toning your body and if it causes significant pain then you should definitely stop and evaluate what you are doing. All you’ll succeed in doing is injuring yourself and not being able to train at all for a few weeks.
5. ‘Toxins’
Myth: You can flush your organs with a detox and get all the toxins out
Reality: Think of all the people who don’t detox, who live their lives teetering on the brink and filled with ‘toxins’ that can’t be expelled. Put this way, it’s clear that this is not the case.
The body has organs for this called the kidneys and liver, even the skin and lungs serve a purpose, and are detoxifying your body as you sit here and read this. If you want to live a healthy lifestyle then eat a balanced diet, don’t smoke and get plenty of exercise. That should be all you need and more.
6. The Gluten-Free Diet For All
Myth: Gluten-Free Food Is Healthier
Reality: Going gluten free is the latest trend that doesn’t look like it’s going to die any time soon. Restaurants and food markets all have gluten-free options and entice you to buy them but you shouldn’t do that. Not before you have the proper information.
Gluten intolerance is a condition that does affect many people but it is the same as lactose intolerance, either you or you aren’t. If you aren’t gluten intolerant then there really is no reason for you to not eat food with gluten in them. You’re actually depriving your body of essential nutrients and being counterproductive rather than proactive.
Bonus! A diet is not a one-size fits all
Too may times we see a new diet popping up claiming miraculous results but in essence they’re selling you something that’s already been on the market for years. If you stick to diets and fitness regimens religiously then they will work but what if you knew your body like never before?
DNAfit uses the science of genetics to reveal indicators to do with your predisposition to nutrition and fitness, thus allowing you to take control. It’s this personal approach that, if used in conjunction with diets and training, has the ability to yield the best results you’ve ever seen. DNAfit replaces the guesswork with the facts because the fact is that your genes don’t lie, they’re who you are.
Get Body Fit, our easy to follow plan for those trying to improve their fitness.
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