The fitness world is teeming with myths, but these myths are so popular and widely spread that your grandma could recite them to you. You may not even workout at all, and I’m willing to bet you’ve heard every single one of these myths at some point in your life. Well, don’t believe the hype, it’s all junk.
1. If You Don’t Eat Carbs, You Won’t Get Fat
Eating carbs does not magically make you fat. Overeating carbs is what makes you fat. In fact, overeating calories from any food group is what makes you fat. If your body only needs 2,000 calories to stay at its current weight and you eat 3,000 calories, you’re going to start to put on some fat. If you don’t eat any carbs at all, you might lose weight, but you’ll also make yourself sick. Your body needs carbohydrates to function properly.
2. Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky
No. No, it will not. Seriously, go to the gym and lift as much weight as you can. Do it three days a week with a day of rest in between each workout, and even drink a protein shake right afterwards. I absolutely guarantee you will not get bulky. You probably won’t even gain any weight unless you’re truly making a conscious effort to. Do you have any idea how many insecure, body-dysmorphic men do nothing but lift weights and spend countless amounts of money on supplements but don’t get bulky?
3. Vegetarians Can’t Build Muscle Because They Don’t Eat Enough Protein
Do you know which foods contain protein? Let me guess, you’re thinking “chicken” or just “meat.” Well, you’re sort of right. The real correct answer is: all foods. Yes, all foods contain protein. Veggies, fruits, grains, milk, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans… they all have protein in them; and, you don’t have to eat your weight over in protein everyday to build muscle; you just have to eat enough for your muscle to repair itself. There are also a ton of other nutrients, such as potassium, that also play a vital role in the muscle building process. If you don’t believe me, just lookup “vegan bodybuilders” or “vegetarian bodybuilders.”
4. You Have to Work Out for ‘X’ Amount of Time to Get Results
We’ve all heard this one before. You know, like, you won’t burn fat if you don’t run for at least 20 minutes, or you won’t build muscle if you don’t lift weights for at least an hour a day. Well, it’s junk. In fact, the intensity of your workouts count a lot more than the duration, unless you’re specifically training for high endurance, like, if you’re a marathon runner. Just look up “tabata” and you’ll see what I mean.
5. Muscle Weighs More Than Fat
This myth always makes laugh. It’s actually one of those stupid things I hear people say constantly that just makes me want to face-palm because I know they’re not even hearing the words that are coming out of their mouth. I want you to really listen to these words in your head: muscle weighs more than fat. I hate to be the snarky jerk, but a pound of muscle and a pound of fat both weigh 1 lb. Muscle is denser than fat.