5 Fitness Myths Debunked

Talk about information overload! There are so many blogs, posts and advice sites out there when it comes to fitness. But how much is actually true and accurate? The BUF Girls break down 5 common Fitness Myths to help straighten things out!

MYTH #1: The best time to exercise is…

Should you train in the morning to burn more calories, or workout in the afternoon to perform better with more fuel in your body? Does it really matter? And if you can’t make it to training at the “optimal” time, should you even bother? Um, yes. How about just doing whatever works for you, or even better mixing it up from time to time to keep your body guessing! We are big believers in exercising at a time that is comfortable, convenient and which you can stick with consistently. This will be different for everyone, so whip out your diary and schedule your workouts in at a time that’s going to work best for you. The truth is, there’s no magic time of day, but making time to regularly move your body works magic.

MYTH #2: Ab exercises will banish your belly fat

While crunches and their good friends sit-ups, planks and bicycles can be helpful for improving core strength and building up your ab muscles, no matter how many of them you do they will not get rid of belly fat on their lonesome. You’ll need to reduce your body fat percentage in order to achieve a flat belly and the only way to truly do that is by eating whole foods, limiting sugars and starchy/refined carbohydrates, completely removing sugary drinks and cutting down on alcohol, while consistently exercising (ideally a mix of strength and cardio) to supercharge your metabolism. We say – eat for health, workout to feel great, do it consistently and fat loss will be a nice side effect!

MYTH #3: It’s better to lift weights than just use your bodyweight

Whether you use weights like dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells, or simply lift the weight of your own body, resistance is still resistance. There is constant information about different styles of training being better than others, but at the end of the day it’s all about trying different things to see what works for you, and giving your body time to respond to what you’re doing. Some girls’ bodies love heavy weights, whereas others look great with nothing but bodyweight work and cardio. The secret is experimenting to find what suits your body best and being consistent in order to allow the benefits of that form of training to take hold and shine through!

MYTH #4: Don’t eat carbs

Poor carbs! So many eating plans completely eliminate them, but it’s not that simple. The latest research proves that the right amount of carbs for any given person varies between 6% and 80% of total calorie intake, depending on your genetics and life stage! The BUF Girls are all about impactful education when it comes to food, because knowledge is power and once you learn about which carbs fuel your body and provide long lasting energy reserves, and which will just spike your energy sharply before making you slump and getting stored in all the wrong places, it makes your food choices so much easier. That’s what our BUF Body program is all about, slowly drip-feeding you information that will make food choices easier and less emotional, because suddenly they’re more scientific. If you want to make it really simple though, just get most of your carbs from vegetables, fruit and whole grains, while increasing proteins and including healthy fats in your diet too.

MYTH #5: No pain, no gain

Injuries can happen when you push yourself through pain and/or discomfort that should have been an alarm bell to stop and give your body a rest. It’s great to have the mental and physical strength to push yourself when you’re feeling good, but you have to learn to listen to your body too. Unusual pains can be injuries waiting to happen, so rest up or just ease off and take a nice walk or stretch in the sunshine if you’re feeling painful niggles, or are under a lot of stress.

Keen to learn more about the right foods for you? Join the next round of the girls’ BUF Body program online!