In this episode, I answer some of the common questions/myths about exercising with my first and favorite guest, my boyfriend Ali. (Ok i don't know if he's in this episode as a proper guest but he makes an appearance).

What are some of the craziest things you have heard about working out?

I bet you have heard wearing a waist trainer or wrapping your waist in plastic wrap will help you lose inches in your midsection. Or as a woman, lifting weights will make you bulky. Or my favorite, workouts are only effective if you sweat, because “sweat is your fat melting out of your pores.” (Insert the face palm emoji please).

8 little truths about exercise to help you get the most out of your fitness journey:

Waist Trainers Are A Waste! - They don’t do anything for you other than make you sweat more because it is an added layer of clothing. You can’t spot train like that. You can train lower body and specifically emphasize your glutes. But when it comes to losing fat, it’s going to come off wherever it wants to come off.
Lifting Weights Will Not Make You Bulky! - Women do not have the hormonal ability to get big and “bulky” the way men do when they lift weights. Men have more testosterone than us, which is the hormone you need to bulk up.
Fat Does Not Melt Out Of Your Pores Like Butter! - I understand that sweat has a saltiness to it, and maybe that’s where this idea came from, I don’t know but it’s not true. Your sweat is mostly water with a tiny bit of ammonia, urea (both of these are left over from proteins your body breaks down), salt and sugar. THAT’S IT!
Cardio Does Not Help You Get Toned! - Cardio is for heart and lung health. Yes, you will lose weight if you do cardio, and yes it will help you see some results a bit faster. But if you want to be “toned” and have sculpted arms, legs and abs, you need to train with resistance! Whether it comes from a barbell, dumbbells, bands, etc., you need resistance to build muscles. Introduce those into your routine and I promise you will thank me.
You CAN Eat Carbs If You Want To Lose Weight! - I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say that they want to lose weight, so they can’t have carbs. Carbohydrates are not bad for you! Your body needs them to fuel you and give you quick energy for workouts and living your daily life. We need to understand the difference between refined carbs and carbs. Refined carbs are carbohydrates that have been stripped of bran, fiber, and other nutrients: ex. pasta, pizza dough, white bread, white flour, sweets, etc. There are healthy carbs, they are called vegetables and foods containing whole wheat.
Sweat Does NOT Define A Good Workout! - How much you sweat has almost nothing to do with how effective your workout is. Sweating is related to your genetics, hydration level, climates, training styles, etc. It’s not the best measure for how good your workout was or how fit you are.
You CAN Get A Good Workout In 30 Minutes! - You do not need to be in the gym for an hour or more to get an effective workout. It'‘s all about the intensity! (I’m just going to leave a link to my FREE EBOOK right here so that you can fact check me on this one).
If You Are Sore, Move Your Body! - I know you may not want to move but you should. Doing a yoga class, or going on a 30 minute walk when your muscles are sore will help bring blood to those areas which makes them recover faster.

There is so much misinformation out there that I see on social media regarding working out. I’ve seen and heard so many crazy ways people try to lose weight or get fit, from using waist trainers to shrink your waist to avoiding weight training for fear of “bulkiness”. (Insert eye rolling emoji)

In both my podcast episode and this blog, I hope I was able to answer some of your questions and provide clarity on these topics.

The last tip I will leave you with is to be patient. No matter where you are on your fitness journey, keep going! You will get to where you want to be, but it takes time. A lot of myths were created out of impatience, people that want to get to the finish line faster. But all they do is mess with your head and foster a negative mindset/attitude toward health and fitness.

I hope this helps and for more in depth conversation about all of this be sure to listen to the Empower Podcast!

Happy listening!!

-Em

Exercise Myths…Busted

Empower Podcast