The Top 8 Fitness Myths Exposed!

Myths is the fitness industry can act as priceless moments of humour to the Personal Trainer but they can also produce consistent banes of frustration as well regularly witness exercisers practicing ineffective or useless protocols on the basis of mythical rumour. Many fitness myths come and go, however some seem as if they’re here to stay. Only through dependable promotion from trainers and the fitness industry will we hopefully see these ridiculous myths finally put to bed.

1 Muscle weighs more than fat

It is almost ludicrous to suggest that one thing weighs more than another. One pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle. How on earth can fat weigh more than muscle, or vice versa, without giving a tangible example? Muscle tissue is denser that fat tissue and this is where the myth emanates. Five pounds of fat will be larger in size than five pounds of muscle, but they still weigh the same. A person who weighs 10 stone and has 15% body fat will look smaller than a person of the same weight but has a body fat percentage of 30%.

2 When you stop exercising muscle turns to fat

Muscle and fat tissue are two separate components. You either gain or lose muscle and fat tissue depending on diet and exercise.

3 High reps and low weight for toning

Women are highly concerned about gaining bulky muscles which is why in many gyms and health clubs are occupied with female exercisers who either avoid weight training completely, opting for cardio instead, or they use light weights with many reps to “tone” their muscles.

Light weight with more reps leads to poor results due to the lack of stress placed upon the muscle tissue. Muscle and fat cells either gain or decrease in size. To “tone” muscle one must stress the muscle tissue enough so hypertrophy occurs. The level that one wishes to increase their muscle cells, and decrease their fat cells, will determine their training programme, protocol and diet.

4 The more sweat, the harder you’re working

Ever wondered why some people sweat profusely and others don’t despite exercising at a similar intensity? Sweating is produced through and number of factors and conditions. Fitness level, age, weight, gender, genetics and environment all influence how we sweat, but when you consider that the human body has between 2-4 million sweat glands it’s easier to understand why some people sweat more than others. Generally fitter individuals will sweat more proficiently but even just because an individual is sweating profusely doesn’t mean they are training at a high intensity.

5 Cardio training is the best method to burn body fat

Firstly cardio training needs to be defined properly. If one is performing 50-60 mins of cardiovascular training using the cross trainer, running, cycling etc. at the same moderate pace then this is not an effective fat-burning protocol even if one is burning 600 calories. This type of training does not stimulate the powerful fat-burning hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, and can actually breakdown muscle tissue resulting in a fall in metabolic rate. Additionally if the same cardio workout is being performed consistently then the body will adapt to it in time leading to less stress on the body.
Weight training, performed correctly, and cardio interval training, are better methods of training for burning body fat.

6 Eating before bed will lead to greater fat storage

Eating late at night will not affect fat storage unless you have consumed an excessive amount of calories that day. The amount of total calories you eat each day is more significant and has a greater effect on weight loss than eating late at night.

7 Crunches and sit-ups will help you gain a six-pack

A well-defined six-pack is the result of quality dieting and exercising to decrease body fat levels to the point where the abdominal muscle is completely visible. No amount of crunches will be effective if the diet is average, your abs will forever be hidden behind the body fat.

8 Stretching prior to exercise reduces your risk of injury

There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that stretching prior to exercise reduces an individual’s risk of injury. Stretching prior to strength training can actually weakened the muscle and reduce the lift. This is not to suggest that stretching is not necessary, it is, but stretching should be performed at the end of a workout in order to promote pliability within the muscle tissues.

Fitness myths are here to stay unfortunately. However if enough promotion is conducted in gyms and health clubs then this can lead to fewer people performing ineffective training protocols and gaining training effects more rapidly.

Critique of a singer's diet and exercise plan

Candidate: XXXXX late 20s, singer & songwriter

Background:

Played volleyball and reactive sports during school days. Does little for arm strength (no biceps and triceps) as these are not a priority in her training, but she welcomes exercises for them. She does some yoga, which helps open up her chest. She has an artistic personality, not athletic. She doesn’t do DVD work outs, yet likes listening to instruction. Health affects her creativity.

My goal:

“To improve my cardio for singing and trumpet playing without losing weight, and to gain five pounds of muscle mass to bounce quarters off my butt.”

My workout:

“Healthy Habits [a boutique fitness studio] in Toronto designed my workout. I like free weights and body-weight workouts. Once a week, we’re strengthening the upper back and shoulders so that it pulls me back because everything I do is leaning forward. When I write I’m hunched over keyboard, the computer.

As well we’re doing very deep abdominals and obliques exercises with weighted long-arm crunches. My small, flat stomach runs in my family, and I play trumpet, which keeps a strength people can’t see, so I’m internally strong. But it’s not the kind of strength that holds my core up, my supporting muscles.

My trainer changes the routine every week, but I do three sets of 15 repetitions of these exercises: medicine ball squat and press, side shoulder cable raises, standing abduction, cross step-ups and side walking with bands for glutes. Yoga once a week stretches me backward.”

My lifestyle:

“There are weeks I don't see daylight when I'm in studio for 3 days straight working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. There are days where I'm in meetings, doing interviews, at the keyboard or computer, writing. Travel, gigging and rehearsals don't happen predictably, so many aspects are sedentary, then rush, rush, rush.”

My motivation:

“My grandfather passed away several years ago and I put some of the money he left me into my health. Since then, if I’m not physically healthy, it affects my mood and my ability to write with a clear head.
Gwen Stefani is very strong on stage. Her fitness seems to give her boundless energy, not just an aesthetic [look], it’s about being healthy.”

My anthem:

“If I had anthem I’d choose White Snake’s “Here I Go Again.”

My challenge:

“Discipline. Establishing consistency within an inconsistent schedule.”


The Critique by Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS

When designing exercise and diets programs a trainer focuses solely on one thing: the client’s goal. If XXXXX’s goal is to gain 5lbs of muscle mass without gaining body fat, in addition to maintaining or improving cardiovascular fitness, then certain changes in her workouts and diet need to be implemented.

Exercise

For muscle to increase in size, a process known as hypertrophy, then it needs a degree of stimulus that exceeds squats with a medicine ball and bodyweight exercises. To target the buttocks and legs I would recommend XXXXX be coached to perform deep squats, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, sumo squats, and Romanian deadlifts. You have to love these eastern European exercise names! ☺ These exercises, performed correctly, stimulate the metabolic and endocrine systems far greater than most other forms of exercise. There is no real need t perform direct abdominal training if a client is performing squats, deadlifts, chin-ups etc. as the recruit of the “core” muscles from these exercises is far greater than popular “functional” exercises.
These exercise will stimulate far more muscle motor units and will stress the tissues significantly, which, when combined with a higher protein intake, will results in hypertrophy. It would be wise for Ivana to have her body fat percentage taken prior and then if she gains 3-5 lbs she will know if those extra pounds are body fat or muscle tissue by having the measurements taken after the intervention.

Some other great exercises for Ivana would be assisted chin-ups, pull-ups and dips, as well as bench press, dumbbell flys, cable bent-over lateral raises, and hyperextensions. As Ivana is predominantly in a forward flexed position with rounded shoulders, she should perform pulling exercises more often than pressing exercises, perhaps a 2:1 ratio. She should also focus on quality stretching of the chest and neck after each workout.

In order to boost cardiovascular function, Ivana could superset her exercises or even perform tri-sets so 2-3 exercises in a row without rest. An example would be, keeping in mind the pulling/pressing ratio:

A1) Chin-ups 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A2) Dumbbell chest press 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A3) Bent over rowing 8 reps 75-80% 1RM

XXXXX would need a frequency of 3-4 times per week, no more than 50 mins per workout. Her repetition range should drop in order to promote hypertrophy so more weight can used to increase the intensity. Yes she’s going to have to work hard!

Diet

I would recommend Ivana consume close to 100 grams of protein per day and cycle her carb and calorie intake. On days she does not train she should consume more carbs and calories, depending on the results she was receiving from the diet and training program. A breakdown of her daily intake would be:

1464kcals per day

Nutrient ratio: 35% Protein, 55% Carbs, 20%, Fat
366 kcal. protein per day (91.5 grams)
805 kcal. carbs per day (201 grams)
293 kcal. fat per day (33 grams)

Lifestyle
Having trained the singer Gwen Stefani and the band No Doubt I fully appreciate how difficult it can be to organise any type of schedule at times but I would encourage XXXXX to avoid working through the night as I imagine this will upset her sleep, exercise and eating pattern. Even if the working schedule could be compromised to 8pm – 4am if she feels more artistic and productive later in the evening as opposed to daytime.

Meals could be prepared prior to the Studio work and she would be wise to keep well hydrated at all times. Protein shakes are excellent for consuming quality proteins without having to prepare meals and these could be implemented also. It is difficult but quality sleep and rest and vitally important for hypertrophy so XXXXX would have make sure she gets enough rest when she has the time to do so.

How do you know if what you’re doing is getting you anywhere? The obvious answer is feedback, what results are you getting for your efforts both in terms of dieting and training? How are you monitoring your results?

Believe me the best way to monitor your progress is by what you see in the mirror and how your clothes are fitting you. The scales are good, very good, but when you’re trying to lose the last 5-10 lbs they can provide frustrating feedback at times.
Body fat calculations are very good, providing you have an experienced individual measuring the skinfolds. Waist, hip, thigh, measurements are good also, but again as long as the individual taking the measurement is consistently accurate.
If you are not getting the results you’re after then without question you need to elevate what you need to change, and believe me you need to change if you plateau.

How do you break through plateaus? Well bust your way through them! It may be a few things in your diet need tweaked, or maybe a new strategy is required. The recent strategy I suggest in my last post was the fat loss strategy of exercising in a fasted (or part-fasted) state. Personally if I want to get really lean, this is one method I adopt regularly.

Another aspect that may need re-evaluated is your training. I’ve rarely followed a training programme in all my years of training, which seems strange I know. I go with how I feel on that day. I’ve tried some training programmes but when I’m scheduled to train my upper body sometimes my shoulders will feel a bit tight but my legs feel great so I’ll blast the heck out of them! I go with the feeling, but obviously I’m fully aware of resting muscle groups and over-training.

The one aspect of training I fully grasp is that of intensity and applying the overload principle, without it you’ll get nowhere. We have to keep challenging ourselves. I’m stronger now at 38 than when I was 28 or 18, basically through experience.
Every training session I do I put my heart and soul into, as I want quality results, what’s the point otherwise? I smiled the other day when I saw a trainer talk about people walking more, taking the stairs at work, or increasing your physical activity in other ways. Now make no mistake about it, this is good stuff, well to a certain extent. It’s great in the sense that it will make your heart and lungs stronger, it will lower your blood pressure, make you live longer (maybe), and make the quality of your life better as you’re fitter and have more aerobic endurance, but guess what? It won’t strip away the fat on your arms or your butt! To get a really lean physique, you need to be training consistently (4-5 times a week) for up to 60 mins per session and maintain a quality diet.

Getting in good shape is not easy, in requires discipline, organisation, time-management, motivation, and a commitment for weeks, months and years. Does it sound like a lot of work? Maybe. But I love every minute of it as I feel absolutely fantastic after I exercise, my stress levels are way down and I’m totally relaxed. I sleep well, I handle all aspects of business well (most of the time!), I’m able to deal with all situations far better because I’m in shape. I like how my body looks, it gives me confidence. I love being able to squat 50 kgs more than guys who are heavier than I am, and I’m able to do so because I have accumulated thousands of intense workouts over the years and I am reaping the rewards for all my hard work.

One hour a day, dedicated to you, is not a lot to ask for given the benefits you receive at the end of the day. And it’s an hour for you, you’re doing it for you, nobody else, you deserve it, your body needs it, and it will thank you for it, for the rest of your time. Add in some quality fuel into the mix and you’ll be soaring!

Re-ignite your efforts, get back into the gym with more fire and intensity, change the songs on your IPod and fire it up. Get back to that clean diet you’ve been wavering with and dedicate some days to getting great results for your food and fluid consumption.

Start tomorrow, there’s no stopping you!

Mike Heatlie MSC CSCS
Expert Celebrity Personal Trainer
www.lose10poundsin5weeks.com

Fasted Cardio for Weight Loss – Is It Worth It?

Ever thought about getting up first thing in the morning and doing some cardio training before breakfast? Many individuals perform this ritual in order to burn more body fat and attain that wonderful, lean physique!

The theory behind cardio training before breakfast is that as you don’t eat anything at all for perhaps 10-12 hours prior to exercise, your body will be in somewhat of a fasted state. Your levels of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) will be lower than normal and therefore if you train first thing in the morning you will be using a lot more fat for energy as this is the body’s second preferred source of fuel. Sounds simple enough right? Well not quite.

Many fitness experts are divided on the merits and success of training in a fasted state with many stating that it is not effective and many swearing by it. The confusion lies in the fact that training in the fasted state is effective for some goals but not for others, there is no black and white, just many grey areas!

Let me give you some examples. If an individual wanted to increase muscle mass then performing cardio training in the morning is a bad idea. Why? Well if glycogen levels are low, or lower, then the body will begin to use more fat for fuel. However the body will also dip into muscle tissue to extract proteins (amino acids) in order to convert the proteins into energy, a process known as gluconeogenesis. This is bad news for bodybuilders or anyone looking to increase muscle mass (hypertrophy) as your body will basically be eating away at your muscles!

If an individual wished to lose body fat however, and didn’t mind losing a bit of lean muscle tissue, then cardio training in a fasted state is good news. The intensity can only be that of low-moderate as it would be difficult to train highly intensely in a fasted state, although it is possible, it just depends on how much stored energy you actually have.
For individuals involved in weight training I would recommend at least two meals prior to exercise in order to produce a quality training effect, however many individuals have demonstrated quality gains through weight training first thing in the morning without breakfast.

Personally I have found that to get lean, cardio training in a fasted state 2-3 times per week is excellent and I have seen wonderful results from it. I have seen even better results if your last meal in the evening prior was a protein meal with no starchy carbs and a stimulant, such as caffeine, administered prior to morning training. The stimulant will do two things. Firstly it will spark the central nervous system into action firing up your cardiovascular system for exercise which is highly beneficial if you’re getting up at 6am!

Secondly a stimulant will help free fatty acids in the blood stream that will contribute to the burning of body fat, all good news. If you’re still sceptical over it’s merits, then simply try it for 4-6 weeks and monitor your results. Remember your goal must be to get lean, lose weight and body fat. If you are wishing to develop muscle tissue or are involved in anaerobic sports such as sprinting or weight lifting then avoid it at all costs!

Food supplements - Lose Your Money, Not Your Weight!

Weight loss supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry with so many people (mainly women) seeking the "get rich quick" solution to their weight loss desires. Unfortunately for most they are simply wasting their hard-earned money as the supplements do not do as they say on the tin.

Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School at the universities of Exeter and Plymouth reviewed a number of studies into the effectiveness of nine supplements and found no evidence they work. The UK team reviewed existing data on guar gum, bitter orange, calcium, glucomannan (a dietary fibre), chitosan (listed as a fat absorber), chromium picolinate (sometimes sold as an appetite suppressant) and green tea. Their findings prove that as far as weight loss supplements go they're mostly worthless!

Another study conducted in Germany looked at the nine most common weight loss supplements sold over the counter. They took 189 overweight individuals and spilt them into 10 groups. The groups were given either the weight loss supplements or placebo. Even though those taking the weight loss supplements did lose weight it was really no different from those taking the placebo.

Weight loss supplements are in general a waste of your money. Some containing caffeine can assist in your training and dieting for weight loss, but the bottom line is that if you're looking to lose weight, a specific exercise program combined with a quality diet plan is the only way you will succeed.

Low carb, low calorie diet for weight/fat loss

Below is the diet of one of my on-line clients looking to lose weight/fat:

Thursday 24-June
1 – 7:15 am: Protein Shake post workout (1 scoop protein powder, water & ice)
2 – 10:15 pm: 3 egg whites, 2 rye crisp crackers
3 – 1:30 pm: Grilled chicken salad (4 oz chicken breast over 2 cups mixed greens, 5 black olives, onions, cucumbers)
4 – 4:30 pm: Atkins Protein Bar
5 – 7:30 pm:
Water: 3 Liters

Friday 25-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake post workout (1 scoop protein powder, water & ice)
2 – 10:30 am: 2 rye crisp crackers, 1 lowfat string cheese
3 – 1:30 pm: Protein Shake - RTD
4 – 4:30 pm: 4 oz. lean beef, 1 ½ cup green peppers and onions
5 – 7:30 pm: 10 mixed nuts
Water: 3 Liters

Saturday 26-June
1 – 10:00 am: Protein Shake ( 1 scoop, water & ice)
2 – 1:00 pm: ½ Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce & tomato
3 – 4:00 pm: 3 oz. Chicken, 4 Shrimp and 1 cup Chinese Veggies
4 – 7:30 pm: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water, ice)
5 – 9:30 pm – 10 mixed nuts
Water: 3 Liters

Sunday 27-June
1 – 10:00 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water/ice)
2 – 1:30 pm: ½ Turkey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Lettuce & Tomato
3 – 4:30 pm: 3 oz. Grilled chicken breast, 4 grilled shrimp, 2 grilled scallops, 5 asparagus spears
4 – 8:00 pm: 10 mixed nuts
Water: 2 ½ Liters

Monday 28-June
1 – 10:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water & ice)
2 – 1:30 am: 3 oz. salmon, 1 cup mixed veggies (peppers, onions, squash, carrots)
3 – 4:30 pm: 2 rye crisp crackers with 1 tbsp. almond butter
4 – 7:30: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup mixed veggies
5 – 9:30 pm: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water & ice)
Water: 3 Liters

Tuesday 29-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water,ice)
2 – 10:35 am: 2 rye-crisp crackers, 1 lowfat string cheese
3 – 1:30 pm: 4 oz. salmon, 1 cup mixed veggies
4 – 4:30 pm: Greek yogurt
5 – 7:30 pm: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup grilled veggies
Water: 3 ½ Liters

Wednesday 30-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water, ice )
2 – 10:30 am: 2 rye crisp crackers, 1 ostrim
3 – 1:30 pm: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup mixed veggies
4 – 4:30 pm: Greek yogurt, 3 strawberries
5 - 7:30 pm: 4 oz chicken, 1 cup red pepper and snow peas
Water: 3 Liters

My Workout Today! Arms of Death!

Great arm workout today, biceps and triceps:

Close-grip bench press 4 x 12

Cable Preacher curls 4 x 10

Dips 4 x 10

Standing barbell curls 4 x 10

These four arm exercises are the big exercises for quality muscle activity and are the major arm exercises. The next four exercises I performed as supersets so I did one then immediately went onto the other without rest. This increases the acidity within the muscle cells and subsequently stimulates the release of the powerful anabolic hormones growth hormone and testosterone:

Lying barbell tricep extensions 4 x 10

Incline seated dumbbell curls 4 x 10 (the stretch on my biceps from this exercise allows for greater contractions)

next superset:

standing cable bicep curls 4 x 12

tricep pushdowns 4 x 12 (did the ast two sets using a rope)

Arms completely shredded to bits! :-)