Mydiet.org

WARNING: Don’t weight train until after you’ve lost weight!

No, no, no, no, pleeeeease don’t believe that headline! That’s one of the many
myths associated with weight loss and fitness. If you’re interested in losing
weight and getting fit as quickly as possible, don’t let these myths throw you
off track;

Myth #1 – Some fancy exercise machine-of-the-month burns more calories than any
other exercise.

FACT – One thing that many people seem to be confused about is how many calories
are expended during different types of exercise.

For example, I receive lots of questions regarding how many calories are burned
with fancy exercise machines or certain unusual exercises that are supposed to
burn lots of calories.

Don’t be fooled by this stuff! Here’s the bottom line – caloric expenditure is
directly related to the amount of effort an activity requires. In general, the
more difficult it feels, the more calories you burn. The easier it feels the
fewer calories you burn. That’s it! I don’t care how fancy or expensive the
equipment is, the harder you work the more calories you burn.

Myth #2 – Weight training with free weights is much more effective than with
machines.

FACT – For the purposes of general fitness, muscle toning, and weight loss, it
doesn’t matter. My suggestion is to do whichever you are most comfortable with
and are most likely to do on a regular basis.

Myth #3 – Low intensity exercise puts you in the “fat burning zone” and is ideal
for weight loss.

FACT – The “fat burning zone” doesn’t matter. Here’s how it got started. Your
body is always “burning” a mixture of carbohydrates and fat for fuel. This
mixture tends to contain a little more fat during lower intensity exercise.
Somebody took this to mean that a lower intensity workout was best for losing
weight.. not so! It all comes from the same “pot”. It doesn’t matter if you’re
burning a little more fat or a little more carbohydrate at any particular time
in your fuel mix. It all comes from the same calorie pool. The bottom line is,
how many calories are you burning.

Myth #4 – Exercising for 30 minutes two to three times per week is sufficient
for weight loss.

FACT – That’s better than doing nothing but it’s not optimal. I firmly believe
that God designed our bodies to be active daily. When we exercise daily we are
healthier, leaner, more energetic, and the list goes on and on. Also, daily
exercise boosts your metabolism like nothing else can. I recommend working up to
30 to 60 minutes of daily aerobic exercise and three days of weight training per
week.

Myth #5 – You can lose fat from a specific part of your body by doing an
exercise for that part of your body. For example, abdominal crunches will remove
fat from your abdominal area.

FACT – You can’t spot reduce! You cannot control where fat is removed from your
body.

Myth #6 – You can’t lose weight.

FACT – You CAN lose weight but it usually happens much slower than you’d like it
to. Believing that you CAN lose weight is critical to making it happen. Realize
that if you are consistently doing the right things, it will happen. Don’t get
side-tracked by every new crazy diet or exercise gizmo. Keep plugging away at
healthy eating habits and daily exercise – it will happen!

Myth #7 – You shouldn’t start weight training until you’ve lost most of the
weight you want to lose because it will slow down your fat loss, or trap your
fat in the muscle, or who knows what else.

FACT – Weight training is VITAL to a weight loss program because it turns up the
metabolic fires that burn calories – and it tones your muscles. You should start
weight training immediately.

Myth #8 – You burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.

FACT – Exercising on an empty stomach does not affect how you lose weight. In
fact, it may hinder it if you don’t have the energy to exercise. You should at
least drink a glass of juice prior to your workout if you’re exercising in the
morning.

Myth #9 – You should always do your weight training just before your aerobic
exercise session because you burn more fat that way. I’ve even heard that you
should weight train, eat two raw carrots, and then do your aerobic exercise.

FACT – The order in which you exercise does not affect how you lose weight. I
always recommend weight training just after your aerobic exercise (such as
walking) simply because your muscles are warm and supple and much less prone to
injuries.

Myth #10 – You’ll burn more calories jogging a mile than walking a mile.

FACT – Caloric expenditure is 62 calories per 100 pounds body weight per mile
traveled (walked or jogged). For example, if you weight 150 pounds, you expend
93 calories per mile walked or jogged (62 x 1.5). Of course, if you’re jogging,
you’ll cover the distance in less time than if you’re walking. Thus, you’ll burn
more calories in a given period of time if you’re jogging. Get movin’!

copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, offers free weight loss and
fitness success stories and targeted, highly affective weight loss programs for
women, men, type 2 diabetics, and people with slow metabolisms and
hypothyroidism.. http://www.Landry.com