Exercise & Training

In this article, we’re going to look at 10 of the biggest diet and exercise myths of all time.

And don’t worry if you’ve fallen for one of these yourself – I’m not calling you out. It happens to the best of us.

Instead, my intention is to dispel these diet and exercise myths so you avoid future pitfalls, get the results you want, and have more confidence in the decisions you’re making to boost your health, fitness and body shape.

Myth #1: Eating carbs means you gain weight

It’s probably not the first time you’ve been told or read you should ‘avoid carbs’ if you want to lose weight. The internet is littered with articles that stress the importance of ‘avoiding carbs after 6pm’ and describing how ‘carbs make you fat’.

Well, carbs have a bad rep. Carbs are not the enemy – here’s why.

First, let’s look at how you lose weight. All successful weight loss diets share one thing in common:

They create a ‘calorie deficit’.

If you eat less calories than your body needs, your body has no choice but to burn its stored energy for fuel, aka fat. This leads to weight loss.

Most of the time, it doesn’t matter whether you follow a high-carb diet or a low-carb diet. As long as you successfully create a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. Fact.

That said, there are some things to consider when eating carbs.

Carbs can lead to weight gain, but not necessarily fat gain. You’ll only gain fat if you eat too many calories. If you’re in a calorie deficit but notice the scales go up, it’s likely to be water weight.

For every carb you eat, your body holds onto 2-3g of water. So the weight gain on the scales is water, not fat. The other reason for an increase in weight is usually down to increased glycogen, which are carbohydrates stored in your muscles as fuel.

Weight fluctuations throughout the week are frequent, and just because you gain weight it doesn’t mean the weight you’ve gained is body fat.

Instead of letting the scales dictate your mood, focus on the factors you can control, such as creating a calorie deficit and being consistent. If you follow this path, weight loss is guaranteed.

Side Note: Low carb diets and carb cycling can be beneficial, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose, or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes There’s nothing wrong with going low carb, but don’t think you can’t ever have carbs again because that’s just not true.

Remember: Carbs do not make you fat, eating too many calories does.

Myth #2: Gluten-free desserts are healthier

According to BBC News, it’s estimated that 8.5 million people in the UK have now gone ‘gluten free’. I remember going through a gluten-free dessert phase, where I would go to the ‘gluten-free section’ at the supermarket and pick up a bunch of tasty treats.

I remember once buying some gluten-free cookies and angel slices. They tasted great, but I was shocked to see the calories were just as high as standard cakes.

Gluten cannot be broken down efficiently by the body, and 1-100 people have coeliac disease (an autoimmune disease) where the body has a severe reaction to gluten. So cutting out gluten isn’t a bad thing, but just because you eat gluten-free desserts, it doesn’t mean they’re healthier.

For example, from a weight-loss perspective (and presuming you don’t have coeliac disease), what do you think would be more conducive towards achieving your weight loss goal..

a) A regular chocolate brownie? That’s 320 calories.
b) A gluten-free chocolate brownie? That’s 340 calories.

Hopefully, if you read the first point in this article, you’ll realise that it’s calories that matter the most when it comes to weight loss, and that the lower-calorie brownie would be a better choice.

Though, probably, no brownie would be a little better.

Just kidding. Eat whatever you like, as long as you’re in that calorie deficit.

There’s nothing wrong with ‘gluten-free’ desserts, but be sure to check the calories and ingredients before buying.

Myth #3: The power of ‘fat-burning’ foods

Wouldn’t it be nice to go to a supermarket, pick up 20 fat-burning foods and then wake up the next day a stone lighter?

Spoiler: there’s no such thing as fat-burning food.

As we learnt at the start of this article, weight loss comes down to calories in vs calories out.

That said, some foods can be more beneficial when trying to lose weight. For example, protein-rich foods such as steak, chicken, and eggs are called ‘thermogenic foods‘, which means your body has to burn extra calories to break them down. Other thermogenic foods include:

• Spices
• Green tea
• Coconut oil

If you combine a calorie deficit with thermogenic foods, you’re onto a winner.

Myth #4: Weight gain means body fat gain

You’ve eaten well all week, tracked your calories, trained at the gym five days in a row and you hop on the scales feeling optimistic. You’ve already imagined the numbers showing a net loss of 2-3lbs.

But you look down, and you’ve gained 2lbs.

Er, what?

You’ve done everything you’re supposed to do but you’ve gone backwards – how is this fair? It can leave you feeling deflated, frustrated, and wanting to throw in the towel.

The truth is your weight will fluctuate. Weight gain does not mean fat gain. Your body is composed of three main components: fat, lean body mass (muscle, bone, and organs), and water (60% of body weight).

There will be days when your body holds onto more water, for example, through hormonal changes with your body, such as the menstrual cycle for women. Nicholas Screeton, a body transformation coach at Lep Fitness, says it’s not uncommon for women to gain ‘up to 8-12lbs during a menstrual cycle’. It’s often only water weight and will disappear as quickly as it appears.

Myth#5: You need to eat protein straight after your workout

You’ve finished your weights workout and get chatting to your friend for 10 minutes. But then you panic because you’ve not had your protein shake.

There’s a myth, that still goes around the gyms today, that you need a protein shake straight after your workout. It’s false.

There’s no doubt that protein is a crucial ingredient for changing your body shape and speeding up recovery between workouts. That said, don’t worry too much about the post-workout window, but rather the bigger picture, i.e. what you eat over 24 hours.

And, for the record, if you do like a protein shake post-workout, there’s nothing wrong with this, but don’t stress on the rare occasions when you’ve left your shake at home, or have run out of protein powder.

Myth #6: Lifting weights makes you bulky

Thankfully there’s been a significant shift in the health and fitness industry over the last ten years. It used to be that guys lift heavy weights, and women jump around in lycra, do side leg lifts, and lift light weights for high reps.

What a load of BS.

We know that lifting weights doesn’t mean you’ll get bulky muscles. Yes, lifting heavy weights can have this impact, but 99.9% of people needn’t worry about this. Building bulky muscles doesn’t happen overnight – you have to have been training for a long time (often years), and be eating a ton of food.

Don’t fear that lifting weights will make you bulky. It’s usually the opposite – you’ll get leaner and more toned. Weight training is one of the best (arguably ‘the’ best) things you can do to transform your body shape and improve all components of fitness, from muscle tone, stamina, and mobility.

Myth #7: Cardio is best for weight loss

Yes, cardio is a great thing to do. A good cardio session can burn a whopping number of calories, improve your fitness, and leave you feeling elated from the surge of endorphins you get post-workout.

Cardio is important, but to say ‘cardio is the best for weight loss’ isn’t accurate.

Let’s go back to weight training.

You might not burn as many calories in weight training sessions, but the more muscle you can build, the more calories you’ll burn over 24 hours.

For the best results, it’s good to combine a mixture of resistance training with cardio. For example:

Monday: weights
Tuesday: cardio
Wed: weights
Thursday: cardio
Friday: weights
Saturday: cardio
Sunday: rest

The above is just an example. You can do fewer days per week or incorporate cardio at the beginning or end of your workouts.

Myth #8: Ab exercises can get you ripped abs

Imagine if you could do 100 sit-ups per day for the next 30 days and notice a bunch of stomach flab disappears – wouldn’t that be awesome?

But the reality is you could do 1,000 sit-ups per day for the next year (not advised!) and still not have a flat midsection.

Ab exercises are essential. A strong core will support your lower back and prevent injury.

That said, most people spend too long training abs thinking they’ll lose fat solely from their stomach. I’m afraid that following celeb ab workouts from magazines isn’t going to give you the most bang for your buck.

Instead of doing thirty different plank variations, and hundreds of crunches, you’d be better off focusing on compound exercises that burn lots of calories and build large muscle groups. For example:

Deadlifts
Bench press
Squats
Lunges
Split Squats
Pull-ups
Rows

The exercises above (done correctly) will naturally work your core and have a more significant impact on helping you to get a leaner midsection.

If you like, you can still throw in some specific core exercises either at the beginning or end of your workout, but spending more than 5-10 mins on specific ab work is often not the most optimal way to spend your time in the gym.

Myth #9: You have to suffer to lose weight

You see it in gyms all of the time:

People are pounding treadmills, sweating buckets, and making all sorts of grunting noises. There’s the famous saying ‘no pain, no gain’ – often interpreted as pushing yourself to the limit during every workout.

You don’t need to suffer in order to lose weight.

If all you were to do is create a calorie deficit and increase your daily steps, and you did that for the next three months, you would lose lots of weight. Yes, really – you can lose weight without making yourself throw up.

The more aggressive you go with both your diet and exercise, the more you will suffer. For example, most people will go from doing zero or little exercise to doing 5-7 workouts per week.

They will also go from eating and drinking anything they like (and usually in high quantities) to then living off chicken salads and less than half of their regular daily calories.

This is a recipe for failure and suffering, but it doesn’t have to be this way. You can still create a calorie deficit, but a smaller and more sustainable one (100-200 calories) per day and do it over a more extended period.

The quicker you want results, the more you’ll have to suffer, and the more likely you’ll be to fall off track. If you starve your body and go too aggressive with your diet and exercise, you will likely run into trouble. How many times have you tried an extreme diet, to later fall off the bandwagon and binge?

Remember, weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

Myth #10: The more you train, the better the result

More equals better right? And practice makes perfect?

This is not entirely true when it comes to working out. Your training results and progress will all depend on how quickly you recover. Trying to train at 100% effort and every single day is a recipe for disaster, fatigue, and injury.

Rather than looking at frequency alone, it’s important to assess the following:

Recovery: are you fresh for each workout, or are you going into each session tired, sore, and fatigued? If so, read these seven easy tips that will speed up your recovery.

Performance: are you getting stronger, fitter, improving your reps, speed and time?

It’s not so much about quantity but quality. Once you’ve assessed those things, you can then make the right decisions about how often you train.

The post 10 Of The Biggest Diet & Exercise Myths Of All Time – Debunked appeared first on Food For Fitness.

It’s not all about distance – these tips will have you building explosive power in half the time.

Whether you’ve just taken up running or you’re prepping for your first marathon, improving your running speed is going to be high up the list. It’s a common goal among runners from all backgrounds and training goals.

The kicker?

If you normally log miles for distance, trying to increase your overall speed is going to be a VERY welcome change to your training program. Prepare to enjoy.

Here we go.

Interval Running

Once reserved for top athletes, interval training is now the go-to training option for everyone, from newbies to elite fitness buffs.

Interval training consists of mixing bursts of intense exercise and intervals of lighter activity as recovery. This training method is best described as a series of peaks and valleys – you go hard at the peaks and slow it down at the valleys.

The typical interval run is a mix of sprinting, jogging, and/or walking for recovery. The length and intensity of each period depends mainly on your fitness level and training goals.

For example, beginners should start with shorter sprints at mild intensity, whereas elite runners may design an interval routine that fits with their specific racing goals. How?

Start with a proper warm-up to prepare your body

Do five to 10 minutes of cardio-based movement, such as jogging or spinning, to get your heart rate and body temperature up. Next, perform a series of dynamic warm-up exercises for another five minutes. Think inchworms, squats, lunges, leg swings and arm swings.

Once you’re warmed up, sprint at 85-95% of your maximum power for 30 seconds, then jog or walk for one minute to recover.

Repeat the cycle for 15 to 20 minutes then finish it off with a five minute cool-down jog.

Job DONE.

Hill Workouts

Want to build explosive strength and speed? Head to the hills.

The extra resistance of going up and down hills places a much higher demand on your body than running on a flat surface. I hope you’re ready.

Sure, this might not be your favourite thing to do, but here’s what you stand to gain by tackling more hills:

• Build better economical form
• Build more power than running on a flat surface
• Improved VO2 max.
• Increased stride power
• Improved running economy and efficiency
• Reduced impact forces on your muscles and joints thanks to working against gravity

You in? Here’s how to do hill reps right.

Find a hill that’s roughly 100-200m in length. Make sure the incline is hard but not too challenging that you won’t be able to keep good form throughout the climb.

Before you tackle the hill, perform a 10 to 15 minutes warm-up on flat terrain.

Once you’re ready, sprint up the hill at 85-95% of your maximum effort, then jog or walk down for recovery. Repeat the cycle eight to ten times, then finish it off with a 10-minute cool-down jog or walk.

But pace and form also matter on this one:

Try running up the hill at your 5K pace, or slightly faster, shooting for the amount of exertion throughout the climb. Make it your goal to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but don’t let your form go south. Keep a consistent effort up the hill.

Focus on the ground roughly 15 to 20 feet ahead of you – and avoid staring at your feet or gazing way up to the top of the hill, especially on steep inclines. This will help you keep your eyes on the prize.

As you get fitter, try tackling more challenging hills with a wider range of grades and lengths.

Go ‘Plyo’

Also known as explosive or jump training, plyometrics are another great way to target your fast-twitch muscle fibres and build explosive speed even a Lamborghini driver would glance twice at.

Plyometric exercises consist of fast and powerful movements starting with an eccentric action – muscle lengthening – and ending up with a concentric action – muscle shortening. These are key for any speed training program.

And I’m not just talking out of anecdotal evidence—research actually backs this up, too.

A study, reported by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, revealed that middle and long-distance runners who performed plyometric exercises for six weeks improved their 2400m race results by roughly 4%. That’s huge.

It might not seem like much, but it might also be the exact thing you need to achieve your next PB.

Use this list of examples (but this is entirely not exclusive) of plyometric exercises that work very well for improving speed:

• Box jumps
• Power cleans
• Squat jumps
• Standing long jumps
• Med ball tosses
• Snatches
• Frog jumps
• Plyo pushups
• 2-leg bound
• Depth jumps
• Box squats

Start by choosing a few of these exercises and adding them to either your post-run ritual or as part of your cross-training workouts.

Plyo training is technically more challenging and demanding, so it’s even more crucial that you perform them correctly to avoid injury and wasting your time.

I highly urge you to hire a coach or personal trainer to assess your technique or to film yourself, so you catch any mistakes.

Listen to your body

Training hard is key for success, but so is paying attention to your body and taking plenty of recovery when recovery is needed. Otherwise, you‘re asking for injury and burnouts.

As a general rule, follow hard workouts – think intervals and hill reps –with at least one or, ideally, two easier training days. Then, take a full day off training at least once a week.

In other words: Don’t chew more than you can swallow.

To know when you need rest, you need to know the signs. So, here are a few of the most common:

• Persistent aches and pains
• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability and mood swings
• Elevated heart rate.
• Loss of appetite
• Undesired weight loss
• Chronic dehydration
• Loss of performance
• Lack of sleep
• Sickness and the common flu

And that, folks, is it.

Your guide to improving your running speed. Incorporate these speedwork guidelines into your workout plan, then it’s a matter of time and practice. Just remember to keep track of everything and remember not to do too much too soon.

Happy sprinting.

The post 4 Effective Training Strategies For Unlocking Your True Running Speed Potential appeared first on Food For Fitness.

Whatever industry you work in, you know the aches and pains of staying in one place for too long. It’s a common misconception that standing all day is physically more difficult than sitting all day. But with new data showing that our sedentary lifestyles have lasting negative impacts, which one is right?

It turns out, both sitting and standing all day can cause serious health problems. The best way to stay healthy at work is to alternate. But how do you stay productive while making sure to give your body what it needs? The answer is in movement.

The Office Revolution

There are definite upsides to our modern life. You can get to where you’re going without breaking a sweat, in your car or by public transport. We work indoors, instead of long, punishing hours in all weathers.

But the impact that this sedentary lifestyle has had on our bodies doesn’t suggest that we’ve found a way to a healthier workday. From long-term effects caused by slouching in front of the desk, eye strain, headaches, higher cholesterol, and even depression and insomnia, your office job comes with a lot of strain on your health.

Demanding Physical Jobs

Recent data would suggest that the trick is to ensure you’re standing more. Standing and treadmill desks in offices are considered a great way to keep you from spending too much time sitting at a desk. And it is true that finding ways to get your workout in is becoming easier, thanks to desk-sized workout equipment, and a renewed interest in physical fitness at the office.

But the reality is that standing too much at work can also cause problems. These could include:

• Blood clots
• Varicose veins
• Bunions, corns, and other painful foot conditions
• Problems with posture
•  Chronic pains, especially of the lower back and hips, leading to musculoskeletal disorders
• Increased risk of heart conditions

… and more.

As you can see, there are upsides and downsides to both sitting and standing jobs. The takeaway seems to be that staying still in any job will result in everything from heart problems, musculoskeletal conditions, and even negatively impact your mental health.

So what choices do we have? Before you decide to make a drastic career change for the sake of your health, consider these tips for staying healthy while at work, no matter whether you’re sitting or standing.

Keep Moving

Based on the data we have, the answer isn’t as cut and dried as swapping sitting for standing and vice versa. Instead, work toward a more flexible workplace, which incorporates both. If you need to be standing, try to stay on the move as you do it.

Standing desks sound like a good idea in theory, but they come with some health risks of their own. Treadmill desks are a good way to keep moving and create a healthier office atmosphere.

For more demanding jobs, such as those in the service sector, keep an eye on your break times, and when there’s a lull, choose to sit, rather than standing in place.

Eat Sensibly

Sticking to fast food options for your lunch break just increases your risk of heart conditions, high cholesterol and other health problems. Choose healthy options for your at-desk meals and snacks, and try to bring a lunch from home, or think outside the takeout box. Does your office offer free coffee? Remember to stay hydrated. Cut down your caffeine, and drink more water instead. And remember to take time to eat a healthy breakfast before going into work!

Find Ways To Work Movement Into Your Day

When it comes to staying healthy, it’s the little choices that matter most. Finding ways to work movement into your schedule can help mitigate the effects of staying in one position for too long. There are plenty of surprisingly creative ways to work movement into your workday. Try these, and find what works for you:

• Park further away from the building
• Take the stairs
• Invest in an under-the-desk elliptical machine, a fitness ball or a wobble cushion
• Take a walk during your break
• Every time you go to the toilet, drink a glass of water. This will not only keep you hydrated, but will also encourage frequent toilet breaks
• Use a productivity app: these time you when you working on a specific task, but give you regular 5-minute breaks as well. During these breaks, you can walk, stretch or even perform some mini-workouts

Think about your work environment and where you can reasonably incorporate more movement into your schedule. It may not seem like much, but making sure to keep moving can have a huge impact over time. Researchers have learned that ideally, you should be incorporating movement into your workday every 30 minutes.

Take Shorter Breaks More Often

Meal time with alarm clock, breakfast

Whether you’re working a sitting or standing job, how you take your breaks matters. If you’re taking your break at your desk, chances are, you’re still operating in work-mode, which means you’re not giving your body or brain the break it needs.

Longer breaks mean less opportunity to recharge your brain. Instead of going for an hour-long meal break, talk to HR about taking two shorter breaks, if your schedule will allow it.

If you’re tied to the longer single break, make use of it. Distract yourself from work. If you’re in a sitting job, get up, take a walk. If you’re standing all day, take the time to actually sit (or lie) down, get off your feet, and recharge your mind.

Take In The Scenery

Even if your break involves sitting, there’s plenty of research that shows off the health benefits to time outdoors. Time outside reduces stress, the effects of inflammation, and chronic pain, and even boosts your immune system.

If you can find a way to take your lunch break outside, or simply park further away, to get in your fresh air and exercise, it can help deal with the problems of being on your feet, or sitting in an office all day.

Most importantly: Talk to Your Employer

Sometimes, staying on your feet, or spending hours hunched in front of a computer screen is unavoidable. A big project is due, you’re gunning for a promotion, or you’re simply too busy to take breaks.

But that’s not always the case. Not moving for a prolonged time is often not necessary at all, and certainly not worth the potential health issues. When you’re feeling overloaded, chained to your office, take the time to talk to HR.

Often a simple change in the schedule can lead to better results, for you and your job. After all, no one wants chronic pain, a lower immune system, or stress to impact your work. You’d be surprised how willing your workplace is to be flexible about your schedule, and your health concerns. After all, you are your employers most valuable asset. As your health is yours.

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