GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - It seems every day there's a new exercise craze, a new diet, a new supplement that promises to deliver the fitness results that have eluded you for so long.
Some of it is helpful, and some of it is just fake!
Fitness expert Chris Freytag with gethealthyu.com shared some of the biggest fitness myths on KARE 11 Sunrise.
1. Working out on an empty stomach helps you lose weight
Chris says working out on an empty stomach doesn't exactly help you burn more fat. Exercise uses energy from fat and glycogen stores. But when you exercise in a fasted state, you have depleted glycogen levels, which causes your body to not only burn fat but also start to break down muscle tissue and convert it to carbohydrate for energy. This means you're losing muscle!
2. Lifting heavy weights makes you bulk up
Chris says heavy weights are good! They help you put on lean muscle, which isn't bulky, it's actually what contributes to the "toned" appearance. You're probably not going to achieve bodybuilder status unless you're also consuming massive amounts of protein.
3. You need a low-carb diet to lose weight
Chris says contrary to popular belief, carbs are not necessarily your enemy when trying to lose weight or eat healthy. There are complex carbs, like vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains that are generally considered healthy.
4. Muscle weighs more than fat
Chris says a pound of muscle and a pound of fat actually weigh the same. The only difference is how they appear. A pound of muscle looks lean and dense; a pound of fat is airy like cotton candy and takes up more space.
5. Crunches are the key to flat abs
Crunches are not the only step in getting a lean tummy. Chris says you need to start by losing any excess weight that's covering up your abs. Since you can't spot-reduce body fat, this means losing weight all over. Second, you need to tone that area using a variety of abdominal exercises that target different core muscles.
There are several more fitness myths that Chris busts on her website, at gethealthyu.com.