5 Greatest Fitness Myths - Women's Edition

   Mathews is back for us today with a collection of the 5 greatest fitness and weight loss myths women fall victim to, and separating fact from fiction goes a long way in success. After all, following a piece of 'advice' that turns out to be complete rubbish isn't going to get you anywhere, and it could even damage your dedication if you're not seeing the results you thought you would. So, if getting fit is your 2016 new year's resolution, have a quick read of these tips and give yourself a cracking head start! It'll save you a lot of wasted, mistake-riddled time and you'll easily be rocking a bikini this summer!

    Even though women are usually more concerned with their looks than men are, up to recently, gyms were filled almost exclusively with the male populace. Luckily, this is all a thing of the past now, and today women partake in fitness at least as much as men do. Even though humanity has somehow managed to defeat gender related stereotypes about fitness, numerous myths and urban legends about female workouts somehow managed to slip through. Here are 5 of the most common, and most incorrect stereotypes about women in fitness.

Myth: Nothing beats jogging

   Ask any layman about it, and he will instantly tell you that running is the best thing a woman can do to improve her physical attractiveness. This however is as wrong as it gets. The confusion of course is quite natural. If running makes you look better, then constantly running will make you look even better, right? Wrong! In the long term, constantly running may have an adverse effect on your muscles and make you look like you are starving yourself out. In order to avoid this, replace these long constant jogs with one intensive sprinting session a week. As far as cardio goes, there is nothing better for your physique than

Myth: Yoga is self sufficient

   Now this is probably the biggest lie about female fitness out there. Some believe that yoga is all you need in order to achieve the look of your dreams. Still, yoga will not do much good to you on its own (aesthetically). Of course, there is always someone who will claim that they eat all they want, lead a hedonistic lifestyle and nullify all of this with yoga. You are probably wondering how something like this is possible, and the answer is quite simple - it isn’t. It is true that yoga strengthens your body in general and makes you more resilient, however it does not influence the fitness or the shape of your body as much as people believe.

Myth: Weight lifting makes you masculine

   This claim is as insane as insane claims get, however it is one of the most common myths about female workouts out there. In fact, due to their basic anatomical differences, it is even harder for women to get buffed than it is for men. Women in bodybuilding are still quite rare, but everyone will always point to them as soon as you touch a weight. The truth is quite simple but completely opposite to this. In fact, all the fitness features that are attributed to women who do yoga are usually the result of either lifting or

Myth: You can do it all on your own

   Although there are so many tutorials, so many “experts” in every gym, every beginner desperately needs skilled help. It is of course necessary that you read guides and prepare theoretically before you enter the gym, however experience is by far the best teacher. Because of this, if you have an experienced friend (gym-wise) why not ask him or her to tag along in order to show you some tricks. An even better idea is to hire a skilled, personal fitness trainer who can help you be more efficient in your efforts to achieve your long term goals. This is why it is essential to have someone (at least in the beginning) who will set you on the right path.

Misunderstanding the diet

   Now, when it comes to diet, myths and urban legends are so widespread that they require their own list (or even several of them). However, there are seven most common mistakes about diet that most women make. The first one is taking an approximation as the exact number. For example, if your exact daily calorie intake in order to lose weight is 1800, then 2000 will not suffice. Also, it is imperative that you coordinate your eating habits with your training. Sedentary life does not require the same amount of nutrients as a dynamic one does. Moreover, eating only a few times a day is great for your liver since it has enough time to recuperate. A healthy liver will keep your body clean of toxins better than any detox product ever could.

   In the end, in a world filled with information, there is a great chance that a lot of it will be simply - wrong. This is why basing your future lifestyle on only one source is not the best way to go. It is essential that you do your homework properly, arm yourself with patience and the results will have to follow.

About the Author

Mathews McGarry is passionate about many forms of strength training, and spent years lifting, dragging and flipping all manner of heavy objects. After graduating on the Faculty of Health Sciences, he started writing about his experiences, and sharing advices for better life. Follow him on Twitter.