There’s a lot of misinformation out there about fitness. Corny workout programs, bad advice from «gurus,» and unhelpful myths abound. This can make it difficult for people who are trying to get fit to know what information they can trust.

In this blog post, we’ll bust some of the most common fitness myths and set the record straight. And in some of our next posts, we’ll dive deeper into some of these «facts» that turn out to not be actually true.

Read on to learn the truth about fitness!

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10 unhelpful fitness myths that most people believe in

1- You have to work out for hours to see results

Some people believe that in order to see results from working out, they need to spend hours at the gym. Given that most of us don’t have that amount of free time just laying around, those who believe in this myth don’t bother getting started.

However, this is simply not true! You can see results from working out for as little as 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Of course, the more you work out, the more results you will see, but even a small amount of exercise is better than none at all.

2- You have to go to the gym to get in shape

Again, this is not true! There are plenty of ways to get in shape without ever stepping foot in a gym. You can go for a run or a walk outside, do some bodyweight exercises at home, or take a fitness class at your local community center. The options are endless!

In fact, studies have shown that working out in natural environments like parks can have additional benefits for your health. So don’t let the lack of a gym membership stop you from getting in shape!

3- You have to lift weights to get toned

You’re sure that the only way to «get big» or «get in shape» is lifting weights, right?

Wrong! Lifting weights will certainly help you build muscle, but it’s not the only way to “tone” your body. You can also grow your muscles by doing bodyweight exercises, using resistance bands, or even just doing some good old-fashioned cardio.

What’s more, in some contexts and for some people, things like calisthenics may even be better if you want to get bigger muscles!

4- You have to eat less to lose weight

Not necessarily! If you are eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, you may find that you actually need to eat more in order to lose weight. This is because when you exercise, your body burns calories and needs fuel to replenish itself.

Eating less can actually lead to fatigue and make it harder to stick with your workout routine. If you do this consistently, you might actually stumble upon the dreaded «metabolic tomb», which is when your metabolism slows down because you’re not eating enough. So make sure you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to power through your workouts!

5- You have to give up all of your favorite foods if you want to be healthy

Nope! Balance is key when it comes to eating healthy. You can still enjoy your favorite foods in moderation and make sure that you’re getting the nutrients your body needs by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as well.

6- You have to spend a lot of money on workout gear to be fit

This one is definitely not true. You don’t need the latest and greatest fitness gear to get in shape. In fact, you don’t even need any gear at all! There are plenty of bodyweight exercises that you can do at home with no equipment whatsoever.

And as far as workout clothes go, you can find affordable options that will still be comfortable and allow you to move freely. You don’t need to break the bank to get in shape!

7- You have to work out every day to see results

This is another myth that can prevent people from getting started with their fitness journey. If you think that you need to work out every day, chances are you’re mistaken.

This myth is a bit controversial because there are two schools of thought on this one. On the one hand, some people believe that you need to work out every day to see results. On the other hand, some people think that you need to give your body time to rest and recover in order to see results.

The truth is that both of these approaches can work, depending on your goals. If you want to lose weight, working out every day might be a good option for a while; but make sure to not overtrain, or your efforts might backfire!

8- You need to eat 5 times a day to lose weight

This is another nutrition myth that can actually do more harm than good. If you’re trying to lose weight, eating 5 times a day is not going to help you reach your goals any faster.

In fact, it might actually make it harder for you to lose weight because you’ll be constantly grazing and never giving your body a chance to burn off the calories you’ve consumed.

So save yourself the trouble and stick to 3 meals a day (plus a few snacks, if you’re still hungry).

9- You need to detox to be healthy

This is yet another fitness myth that is actually harmful. There is no such thing as «detoxing» your body, and any products or diets that claim to do so are nothing more than a waste of money.

Your body is perfectly capable of cleansing itself, and there is no evidence that detoxes or cleanses actually have any health benefits. In fact, some of them can even be dangerous!

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Final thoughts

There are a lot of myths surrounding fitness. It can be difficult to know what information you can trust and which pieces of data you should ignore. In this blog post, we busted a few of the most common fitness myths. Keep them in mind next time someone tries to tell you something about fitness that doesn’t seem quite right!

And if you want to learn more about all of these myths, make sure to follow us on Instagram, where we’re diving deeper into some of these issues!