Every time I get groceries I am amazed at some of the cover stories on the fitness magazines. I am even more amazed that people actually believe it. There is so much misleading information out there it is hard to know what to believe. This week I will try to clarify a couple of common myths associated with exercise.
Myth No. 1 - Exercise at a lower intensity to burn more fat.
It is true that when you exercise at a lower intensity (50 per cent of your maximum heart rate) about 90 per cent of the calories you burn come from fat. When you workout at a higher intensity (75 per cent of your maximum heart rate) about 60 per cent of the calories you burn come from fat. So, you can see why people might think exercising at a lower intensity might be better. Unfortunately, these numbers can be misleading. At a higher intensity you are burning substantially more calories per minute. About double in fact. So, if you do that math you will find that you always burn more fat calories at a higher intensity.
Example:
Low intensity - burn about seven calories per minute. 90 per cent from fat = 6.3 calories from fat per minute.
High intensity - burn about 14 calories per minute. 60 per cent from fat = 8.4 calories from fat per minute.
So, each minute you are actually burning many more calories from fat at the higher intensity. In just 30 minutes at a high intensity you can burn over 250 calories from fat alone.
Note - Maximum heart rate is equal to 220 minus your age.
Myth No. 2 - Muscle weighs more than fat.
Well, this simply is a matter of common sense. It is like saying bricks weigh more than feathers. It all depends on how we are looking at it. One pound of bricks weighs exactly the same as one pound of feathers. The same as one pound of fat weighs exactly the same as one pound of muscle. That being said, fat is more bulky and lumpy than muscle and takes up more space than the same weight of fat. If you carry excess fat, you will look more bulky and lumpy. Muscle is much denser than fat. Therefore, a person with a higher fat volume will look larger than a person weighing the same as a person with more muscle volume. The correct way to word this phrase is, "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."
Myth No. 3 - Exercise will turn fat into muscle.
Again, this is simple common sense. Muscle is muscle. Fat is fat. They are two completely different things that cannot magically become each other. Fat can increase and decrease and so can muscle. You can lose fat and build muscle but you simply cannot transform one into the other. A more correct way to state this might be to say, "I replaced fat with muscle."
Myth No. 4 - You shouldn't weight train because you will get bulky.
First of all, it is probably not a great idea to say something like this around a serious bodybuilder. I guarantee they will tell you about the strict eating regime they follow along with the hours of dedicated training time and competition preparation it takes to build that kind of size and perfect muscle structure. It just isn't as easy as going to the gym three days a week and doing a simple weight training routine. Building large, "bulky" muscles just doesn't happen that quickly or easily. This is often a fear for women and I hate to break it to you, but women just don't have enough testosterone to produce the large muscles that men can produce without the use of supplements and/or steroids (not recommended). In fact, women who weight train are much more likely to obtain a firm, fit, cellulite-free looking body rather than the large, bulky, masculine body they fear.
Always remember to be conscious of what you read, use common sense and ask a professional for advice or clarification where necessary.
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
