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5 Fitness Myths Debunked

Today’s post about fitness fact and fiction is written by Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporent, authors of Fitness For Dummies, 4th Edition.

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The exercise community has its share of fitness myths, misconceptions and half-truths. The following list details some of these common fitness myths and the reality behind them. Hallelujah!

5 Common Fitness Myths

Myth: You must exercise for 30 consecutive minutes.
Reality: Three 10-minute sessions of exercise burn as many calories and provide nearly the same health benefits as one 30-minute session.

Myth: Lifting weights will turn you into a pro-wrestling contender.
Reality: Virtually all women and most men can’t develop huge muscles without spending hours a day in the gym lifting very heavy weights.

Myth: If you stop exercising, your muscles will turn to fat.
Reality: They’ll just shrink. Fat and muscle are two different entities; you can’t turn one into the other.

Myth: By focusing on abdominal exercises, you can lose that beer gut.
Reality: You can’t selectively zap fat off a particular part of your body. To lose a beer gut, you need to lose weight and exercise (and you need to cut down on the brewskis).

Myth: Exercising during pregnancy increases the rate of miscarriage or birth defects.
Reality: With a doctor’s approval, prenatal exercise is very healthy for you and your baby. In fact, studies show that labor and delivery are easier for women who exercise during pregnancy, as is getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

Preach on! Thanks for the healthy dose of reality, Suzanne and Liz! —Jenn

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