I have worked with many clients in a gym over the last 4 years or more, so I have heard a lot of nonsense regarding weight loss. Some of this nonsense even came out of the mouths of so-called expert personal trainers.
These are some of the most common things I hear that make me want to run up to the person saying it and yell “You idiot!” But I stay calm and just roll my eyes.
1) The fat burning zone is where you should maintain your heart rate
The “Fat Burning Zone”, note the quotes, is a myth based on misinformation. It was created by people who were looking for a cool hack and didn’t bother to think things through.
Basically, the fat burning zone myth states that there is a certain percentage of your maximum heart rate, actually quite low, where your body will burn the most fat. This is the level at which you would exercise if you were to hit the “fat burn” button on your cardio machine at the gym.
Man I hate those buttons!
Actually, at this level, you will burn the highest percentage of your calories from fat. That doesn’t mean you’ll burn the most total calories from fat. The funniest part is that, as you’ll see in my reaction to lie #1. For #2, it’s probably not even the fat you should be worrying about burning in the first place!
But let me put it another way to drive home this point.
Let’s say, for example, that you burn 300 calories in 30 minutes working at an average of 80% of your maximum heart rate, and 60% of those calories come from fat.
Conversely, for another example, let’s say you burn 150 calories working at 45% of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes, and 100% of those calories come from fat.
According to the “Fat Burning Zone”, the second example is better because you are maximizing your fat burning percentage.
However, in reality, you burn 30 fewer calories from fat and 150 fewer calories overall by staying in this “Fat Burning Zone.”
I could think of other examples that make “fat burning zone” theorists sound really stupid, but we both have better things to do with our time.
Just don’t look at that “Fat Burn” button at the gym, or any of the buttons for that matter!
2) You need to exercise continuously for more than 20 minutes to burn fat
This myth is similar to the first in that it is based on carelessness. It may be true that it takes 20 minutes of continuous exercise to start using fat for energy.
That seems fine to me.
But working at higher intensities, up to that 20-minute point, you can use a lot of carbs for energy. And let’s think, how are carbohydrates stored in the body?
Fat!
Personally, I focus on burning as many carbs as possible to avoid storing extra body fat. To do this, I use shorter bursts of intense work during my workouts. Yeah, most of my workouts are 45 minutes to an hour, so I’ll be using some fat for fuel as well. But that’s not my main concern.
As long as you don’t train too long at too low an intensity, causing you to use muscle tissue for energy, you’ll want to burn as much stuff as possible by working at relatively high intensities in relatively short bursts.
3) Cardio is superior to resistance training for weight loss
Is not true. Cardio, and by cardio I mean aerobic exercise, is good for burning a few extra calories, but not much else. Resistance training burns more calories per minute of exercise, builds muscle to increase metabolism, and creates greater post-exercise caloric expenditure as the body works to return to a resting state.
For weight loss purposes, 45 minutes of resistance training three times a week with some cardio mixed in is far superior to 60 minutes of cardio every day with some resistance training mixed in.
And don’t worry, you won’t get huge unless you really want to!
4) Do a lighter weight and more repetitions to tone the muscles
If by muscle tone you mean small, weak muscles with fat around them, then yes, lighter weight and higher reps is better.
But if by tone you mean solid, defined muscle with little surrounding fat, then you probably want to work in the 6-12 rep range. This will cause you to work at a higher intensity, which is better for muscle growth, maintenance, and fat loss.
And no, you won’t get huge as long as you stick to 1-2 sets and don’t eat like someone who wants to get huge.
5) The Crunch is the best exercise for a flat stomach
No. Crunches are generally a waste of time unless you want huge abs and bad backs. Crunches build your abdominal muscles just like a chest press builds your chest. They don’t work very well for getting rid of belly fat.
To get rid of belly fat, you need a combination of a solid nutrition plan and a full-body exercise plan. To work muscle in your core area, stick to exercises like planks, wood chops, and mountain climbers. These will strengthen your core to protect your lower back instead of putting extra pressure on it.
If you’ve spent time in a gym or read a few magazines, you’ve probably heard most of these lies and half-truths before. There is so much information in the world today when it comes to weight loss. Hopefully what I said in this article makes sense and clears up some common misconceptions for you. There are many others, but this is a good start.
Don’t be fooled by the fools!