5 Biggest Fitness Myths That Experts Want You to Stop Believing in

While it is a great idea to work on your fitness and weight loss journey during quarantine, it is easy to get discouraged when you don't get to see the desired results. 

It has been often said that toned legs, arms and six-pack abs are made in the kitchen. So, if you are neglecting your diet and concentrating only on the workout, your health journey may not have the desired results. 

Other than your diet, here are some of the biggest fitness myths that pilates and fitness expert Shalini Bhargava wants you to stop believing in to get the most out of your workout and diet:  

MYTH: Warm-up exercises don't really do anything for your body. 

FACT: You must never skip the warm-up. "Warming up prior to exercise is a very crucial aspect which must never be missed. This is important in order to prepare the muscles and the cardiovascular and pulmonary system to get ready or prepare for the activity to follow, and allow blood circulation in the exercising muscles, allows the joints to open up. A warmed-up body is less likely to get injured. And the gradual increase in heart rate will prevent extreme breathlessness and sudden change of heart rate, none of which is desirable."

MYTH: You can have as many rest-days as you want. 

FACT: Avoid being inconsistent. "An infrequent or inconsistent workout is not desirable, and packing a week's physical activity into one single session upsurges the chance of overuse injury or injury due to incorrect form, which is likely to happen when the body fatigues. Consistency is the key to progress and see changes. It is recommended that you do at least 30 mins of physical activity on all or most days of the week."

MYTH: Lifting weights is the ONLY way to shape your muscles. 

FACT: Never lift too heavy a weight too soon. "It’s important to be kind to your body and not to rush into extremes. Progression should be timed. To see gains in muscle mass, proper technique and form of exercise, working through a full range is more important than lifting heavier weights than you can. Also, lifting weights heavier than you can definitely lead to injuries, which will set you back for maybe months." 

MYTH: There's no such thing as leg-day, you need to work out every day.  

FACT: Your muscle groups need rest too. "Muscles grow only when they rest. That’s the time, that the muscle fibres recuperate from the microtears during exercise, which is extremely important for them to grow. Working out the same group of muscles on an everyday basis can also lead to injuries of not only the muscles but also the surrounding tendons ligaments and joints. Muscles require at least forty-eight hours to recuperate and reconstruct post indulging in a strength workout."

MYTH: It's okay to skip drinking water during the workout.  

FACT: Lack of hydration can cause muscle cramps. "The importance of staying hydrated is well known. Thirst is the last indicator of the body getting dehydrated. Fluids carry blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. Fluids facilitate in cushioning your joints and stabilizing your blood pressure level and heart rate. Working out causes you to lose water and electrolytes during perspiration, and it also leads to a build-up of lactic acid in your muscles which can
contribute to unwanted muscle cramps. It is recommended to have about 8 to 12 cups of fluid on an everyday basis, and even more so if you are exercising."