Exercise, fact or fiction?

I have lost count of the number of times someone has told me about something they have read or been told and just assume it to be true so let me take some time to dispel a few of these myths.

Myth
Exercise at a low rather than high intensity promotes greater fat loss.
Fact
It is true that the body uses a greater proportion of fats than carbohydrates when exercising at a low intensity but this doesn't mean that such exercise is better for fat loss than high intensity exercise. Remember that the most important fact is the number of calories that you burn. now if you know me you may be sitting there thinking what a hypocrite I am because I am not a fan of counting calories when eating but when burning fat I am afraid I switch sides!!! During low intensity exercise the number of fat calories will be less than you burn during high intensity exercise. You lose weight and body fat when you burn more calories than you consume.

Myth
The more you sweat the more fat you lose.
Fact
Sweat is water, when you exercise you will definitely sweat and lose weight. However, this weight is not fat it is water that you will replace when you next eat and drink. Sweating is not a good indicator of how many calories you are burning and more importantly fat calories. It merely tells you how much excess heat you are producing and will be affected by the the temperature, humidity and the ratio of your weight to surface area, genetic factors come into play too: some people just sweat more.

Myth
You can burn fat from specific regions of your body by exercising those areas.
Fact
You cannot spot reduce fat - FACT! When you exercise you use energy by burning fat from all the regions of the body not from the specific muscles involved in the exercise. Doing hundreds of sit ups (not the best exercise anyway in my opinion!) will strengthen your abdominals but it will not trim fat off that area alone.

Myth
Strength exercises make women bulk up.
Fact
This one actually makes me laugh I hear it that often, or the panic stricken faces I look at in class when I suggest press ups! Lifting weights will not make you bulky. Weight bearing exercise are one of the easiest ways for women to look leaner, more sculpted and tones. A pound of muscle takes up a great deal less volume than a pound of fat. Testosterone is a major player in muscle bulkage and women have low levels so it would be really hard for us to build large muscles as that hormone influences muscle growth.

Myth
Muscle turns to fat when you stop exercising.
Fact
It is IMPOSSIBLE for muscle to turn to fat as it is a completely different type of body tissue. They simply do not have the capacity to turn from one type to another. However, with muscles, it is very much a case of use it or lose it! If you don't use a muscle then it will lose it's strength, tone and size. If you then eat more calories than you burn the excess will be stored as fat.

Myth
Aerobic exercise stops the loss of lean mass during dieting.
Fact
Aerobic exercise does little to maintain lean mass (muscle) during dieting. The less lean mass you have the lower your metabolic rate will be. The best way to prevent muscle loss is by combining strength exercise (at least twice per week) with regular aerobic activities.

Have a fab week and do post your comments, I love to know what you think!