Where do you go to learn about your women’s health and fitness concerns? Internet, friends, magazines, a book. All of these are great places to start, but it’s often hard to sort out the good from the bad, the truth from the outdated myths. I frequently hear from women who are working so hard to make the right decisions about their health, but aren’t getting the right information.
When talking about health and fitness, there are certain beliefs that come up again and again. For example, as a teenager in the 90’s I was part of the “fat free fad”. I thought if I ate a box of Snackwells cookies for lunch that was a good meal . . . they are low fat after all. Of course, we now know the sugar in those cookies is worse than most “fattening” snacks (eat the almonds friends).
Here are 4 more myths about women’s health and fitness BUSTED!
1. The more I exercise the better.
Many women spend countless hours a week on cardio machines, pounding the pavement, or in Zumba classes. These are good things, but more of it isn’t always better.
For most, the goal is to lose weight and the more you exercise the more your body is stressed and wants to store fat instead of burn it. For the best fat burn, both during and after exercise, short bursts of high intensity exercise will yield the best results.
2. If I eat fewer calories I’ll lose weight.
A low calorie diet is another stress on the body. . . and can we all agree as women we have enough stress in our lives. As we lower calories to lose weight, our body adapts and decrease the amount of calories we burn during the day. A nutritionist can help you evaluate the amount AND quality of your calories to see if you are getting the right fuel for your body.
It’s true, you may temporarily reach your perfect “beach body” with a super low calorie “diet”. But, in the process you damage your metabolism, thyroid, and adrenal glands and the weight comes back along with fatigue and frustration.
3. Weight training will make me look bulky.
The fact is, as we age we lose muscle in our body and muscle is what burns fat. If we want to avoid a sluggish metabolism, fatigue, and weight gain as we approach (or have passed) menopause we MUST put muscle back into our bodies.
We don’t have the same amounts of testosterone as men, so we won’t build big bulky muscles like a man. This allows us to lift heavy and build long lean muscles for a body we feel strong and confident in.
4. I’m to busy to . . .
You fill in the blank. Get a pedicure? Stop at the playground with my kids? Get 8 hours of sleep? Meal prep on the weekend?
You know the healthy habits that would make you a happier, healthier woman. And it’s a myth that you are too busy to do these things. Your friends and family . . .this world . . . deserves you at your best and the only way to be your best is to make time for the things that are most important.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so let’s make them count. Do the things that bring you happiness and say no to the things that just fill up the calendar. Start making “I’m too busy” a myth in your life today!
If you are a woman struggling to sort out the truth from the myths as you search for health and fitness answers online (or in debate with your girlfriends as to the best diet or exercise plan out there), let us help you.
No two women are equal in their physical and biological make up, so we all have to go on this journey of wellness for ourselves . . .but not by ourselves Click the button below to learn more about individualized wellness services our highly trained staff at Peak Potential can offer you.
