"Spot reducing,"
exercising in your "fat-burning zone," and other myths that may hinder your fitness progress
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Between talk shows, infomercials, breaking news
and best-selling books, the vast amount of fitness information available
t o the consumer nowadays can be truly overwhelming. In the interest of
cutting through the confusion, let's put to rest some of the most persistent
myths and erroneous claims, shall we?
Exercising in your "fat-burning zone"
You've probably already heard it: an
aerobic instructor chirping, "Now we're burning the fat!" or a
trainer who urges you to keep your workouts in the "fat-burning zone" if your
goal is to lose weight. This is an inaccurate (and sadly, often
uninformed) interpretation of the complexities of exercise science. The truth is, you're always burning fat, regardless of
the activity you're engaged in. In fact, it's when your energy demands are
at their lowest (i.e., when you're sleeping, eating, watching TV, driving, etc.)
that the highest percentage of your energy fuel comes from fat. What
makes a body shift from using primarily fat as a fuel is when its energy needs
suddenly increase; for example, you suddenly leap out of bed because you
overslept and hurriedly run around to get ready for work. Under such
conditions, you will still continue to burn fat, but you will
now turn up the heat on carbohydrates as well, since they provide a faster source of energy.
Ditto for when you're exercising. To walk in your so-called "fat-burning
zone" means you're walking at a slow, steady pace; your caloric output for a
given length of time will be on the lower side. To walk in a manner that
demands both fat AND a higher percentage of carbohydrates means you're walking
at a faster, more intense pace, and your caloric output for that same time
duration will be considerably higher. For weight management purposes,
your better option is the second scenario, because at the end of the day, if
you've expended more calories than you've consumed (regardless of the initial source of
fuel), your body will draw from its fat stores to make up for that deficit.
"Get sleek and buff in just minutes a day!"
Before I delve into this loaded statement, let
me make myself clear: you most certainly can increase your fitness on a
modest time commitment (i.e., 30 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week). But be
aware of unscrupulous fitness professionals who, in an effort to "sell" their
product or workout, will over-hype the results you're likely to experience with
a given program, thus inflating your expectations and increasing the likelihood
that you'll quit in frustration. The depressing truth is, an
exceptionally lean and sculpted appearance requires a heftier time investment
than most people can (or should) commit to, not to mention a genetic
pre-disposition to build muscle easily. You probably already knew that
deep down, but TV and infomercial personalities can be very convincing!
To increase your odds of success at fitness, be sure to go into an exercise
program with honest, realistic expectations; don't be seduced into believing
Mr. or Ms. Tuff-n-Toned achieved his or her appearance on mere minutes a day
(trust me, they didn't). And while you may or may not achieve the kind of
spectacular results you see on fitness programs or TV ads, there are plenty of
other reasons to stay motivated in maintaining a regular exercise
program--increased mobility, an overall "toned" appearance, better energy,
improved sleep, reduced risk for certain diseases, lowered stress levels, etc.
Spot reducing
It's amazing that this myth is still floating
out there, but here I go again....you cannot work a body part and specifically
lose weight there. For instance, you cannot do ab exercises and expect to
see abdominal muscles emerge if you happen to have a tendency to carry most of
your weight in that area of your body. In that case, you will also need
to engage in regular cardiovascular training and follow a healthy eating
program that's at (for maintenance) or slightly below (for slow weight loss)
your body's caloric needs. Ignore those who would lead you to think that
100 leg lifts will help make the fat specifically come off of your leg....they
won't.
"Working out to this video is just like having your own personal trainer!"
Honestly, that's like saying, "Eat lunch while
watching this video of me eating lunch, it's just like we did lunch together!"
In reality, following a video is better described as an experience similar to
taking a group exercise class from the privacy of your own home and at the
convenience of your own schedule. Not that there's anything wrong with
that, but don't think that watching a video is the same as having a certified
fitness professional personally supervise you, offering input and guidance to
customize your execution and routine to your specific needs. If anything,
watching a video in lieu of working with a trainer will mean you will have to
monitor your own form, posture, and comfort levels that much more!
Ab gizmos
There are no shortages of ads trying to convince you that the best and/or only path to abdominal salvation is with this "easy" ab
gizmo. Forget about it! For starters, many of those devices are
ineffective, if not outright dangerous. But even among those that might
momentarily assist in strengthening the abdominals, they're no more effective
than what you can do on the floor, without any equipment whatsoever.
Plus, your abdominal muscles are incredibly
adaptable, meaning they grow accustomed to any given exercise rather easily.
Once your abdominals are used to a movement, you'll have to switch to
other exercises in order to keep stimulating the strengthening effect.
The same thing holds true for an ab gizmo; once your body adapts, you will stop
progressing on the gizmo, and you'll have to find another exercise in order to
challenge your abs,
rendering the ab gizmo useless. Save your money; if anything, use that money towards a session with a competent personal trainer, or, for no cost, head to you local library, where you can check out books
on abdominal training.
Conclusion
It may be hard to confront the realities of
fitness, but fitness done right is outright empowering....keep it in that perspective, and you'll get more out of fitness than any "miracle" pill, diet, or program could ever claim! -ep
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