Your views - What are the top health & fitness myths?

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Fitterover50

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Hi everyone.

I have written a giveaway for my website on the top 10 myths in our industry.

I'm really interested to hear what you all think they are?

Doesn't matter whether it's a nutrition myth, or an exercise myth, or a physiology myth - whatever it is, it needs to be something that you know is wrong but the client generally believes to be true.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Cheers
Steve
 
Hi Steve! I got a myth.. I'll probably come back with more later, but I'm doing some reading right now and this was the only one I could think of at the top of my head.

that people will go into ketoacidosis (like diabetics can do) from ketogenic diets.
- For some reason, this one is everywhere. Apparently, the fact that high levels of ketones will make your beta cells secrate insulin (in healthy peopel) which will slow down ketogenesis isn't being taught in many physiology classes.
 
Hi Karky.

Interesting one this. I was under the impression that ketogenic diets are normally only recommended for serious obesity, and even then, only under strict medical supervision due to the quantity issue.

Is this wrong?

I wouldn't suggest to my healthier clients that they deviate from a balanced diet, with calorie control, exercise and rest to offer a "safe" health, fitness and weight loss regime. Do you think that this is flawed?

Cheers again,
Steve
 
I'm not saying ketogenic diets are the best or anything like that. I'm just saying that you won't go into serious ketoacidosis because of them.
The official recommendations haven't opened their eyes to ketogenic diets. For example, one of the biggest fears for ketogenic diets used to be (or even still is today) that the high amount of fat will cause deleterious changes in blood cholesterol. However, no trials I have seen have supported that.

I don't think you need strict medical supervision on a ketogenic diet. I've never heard of anyone getting seriously ill from it, and a lot of people are on the ketogenic diet (if people on ketogenic diets started dying one by one, we'd probably know about it). I think it's more a matter of official policy having to be very strict with new things where there has been/is a limited amount of research, simply because they need to be on the safe side in their recommendations. Also, of course, because a lot of the ketogenic diet crowd are fanatics and make claims that are not reasonable at all. something I believe has really slowed the process of getting the ketogenic diet accepted as an alternative by the different associations (like the AHA, etc).
I think more and more associations will have to open their eyes to ketogenic diets in the future because more and more research is showing good effects from it, specially in the areas of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes II.

what do you mean by quantity issue? That certain vitamins and minerals might lack?

Please don't interpret this as me being a ketogenic diet preacher. I simply think the diet is misunderstood and that it has it's place, not that it's the ultimate diet or anything.
 
Hi.

Sorry, my post wasn't that clear re quantity: I was referring to the amount of fat, protein etc that the individual should take in during their diet. I was under the impression that this was key.

I have a partnership with a dietician (clinical rather than therapist), so I'll ask her opinion.

Thanks for the myth.

Steve
 
well that's up for debate (how much of fat, protein and carbs one should take in)
official recommendations are based largely on epidemiological studies. High carb, moderate fat and low protein seems to be what it's all about now a days. And most people (including many practitioners) simply follow the official recommendations.

I'd be interesting in hearing what your partner has to say!
 
Myth about curls:
Curls are for girls
- This is a misunderstanding based on the ambigious nature of "curling iron"; it can be a verb phrase, or it can be a noun.

Hope you don't mind me making up funny stories along the way :D
 
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Karky said:
Myth about curls:
Curls are for girls
- This is a misunderstanding based on the ambigious nature of "curling iron"; it can be a verb phrase, or it can be a noun.

Hope you don't mind me making up funny stories along the way :D
Click to expand...

Its a philosophical statement used e.g by coaches to get (young guys especially) to work with the big lifts. Don't forget that girls wear curls too. :p

I don't know where you work out but in the gyms I've been at despite tonnes of education floating around you will see guys doing curls for the whole session and even taking up squat racks to do so. These are the guys who need to be told curls are for girls.
 
Myths:
1. you will get bulky from lifting heavy weights
2. the best way to loose weight is hours of cardio
3. deep squats will hurt your knees
4. standing on a wobbly platform or bosu ball is the most effective way to build your core
5. if you have an injury you should never lift heavy things again
6. fast reps tone best
7. the best way to build big arms is curls
8. eggs are bad for you OR dietary cholesterol increases serum cholesterol in healthy individuals
9. it is OK to do curls in the squat rack
10. fat makes you fat
 
I'm just sick of the assumption people make that a thin woman is fit. She might not be able to jog around the block or climb a flight of stairs without getting winded. She might not eat well. She might not be strong at all.

I'm no longer getting certain fitness magazines because all I've ever seen on the cover are super thin models with no muscle tone. Thin doesn't automatically mean fit.

Show me someone who LOOKS like she goes to the gym or engages in some type of fitness activity, with some signs of being physically fit like muscle tone .. even the slightest bit .. THAT would impress me. Keep the super thin chicks on the cover of Vogue .. if you want to promote fitness use someone who actually looks FIT.

sorry, just had to rant, lol
 
Hi dswithers - some crackers in there that I'd missed - love the fast reps and toning myth in particular.

Mom2TwoBoyz, this is so true. So many models (inc the apparently very thin) are carrying too much fat measured as a percentage. There was a strory about this from a London training centre where a bunch of lingerie models were all tested with calipers and came up as over fat.

Your rant is absolutely spot on.

Cheers,
Steve
 
dswithers said:
Myths:
1. you will get bulky from lifting heavy weights
2. the best way to loose weight is hours of cardio
3. deep squats will hurt your knees
4. standing on a wobbly platform or bosu ball is the most effective way to build your core
5. if you have an injury you should never lift heavy things again
6. fast reps tone best
7. the best way to build big arms is curls
8. eggs are bad for you OR dietary cholesterol increases serum cholesterol in healthy individuals
9. it is OK to do curls in the squat rack
10. fat makes you fat
Click to expand...

I'm fine with all of these but no. 8. I'm getting conflicting results on that one. Here is one that says there is a relationship:

"Dietary cholesterol increases serum total and LDL-cholesterol
concentrations" from a refereed journal:



While others say the opposite.

I would say this one is debatable and not a myth.
 
1. Do crunches and you will get a flat, six-pack of abs.

2. Take this pill (6-8X/day usually) and the fat will just melt away. No diet or exercise needed. If you stop taking this pill, the fat will return...so be sure to keep buying it, and taking it 6-8X/day. RESULTS NOT TYPICAL

3. I gotta go to the gym so I can drink all the beer I want at the bar later.
 
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