Busting 5 Common Myths Associated With Fitness

The fitness industry has grown at a fast pace in recent times and along with this growth, many rumours and misconceptions surround the market, related to fitness products, exercises, etc. When people start considering these myths to be true, there is a huge possibility that they may harm their body instead of benefitting from it. Therefore, to bust these myths and give you the facts, the ETV Bharat Sukhibhava team spoke to its experts and here is what they explained.

• Myth: Only exercise can help you lose weight
  Yoga and aerobics instructor Meenu Verma explains that it is not possible to lose weight through exercise alone. To lose weight, along with exercise, it is also necessary to switch to a right and healthy diet and eat it at the right time. She says that physical activity undoubtedly keeps our body fit, but in order to lose weight, it is necessary to have a proper and disciplined routine of both exercise and diet.
• Myth: Protein diet, especially protein powder, is necessary to build muscles
  Nutritionist Sangeeta Malu explains that proteins certainly help in building muscles but to have a healthy body and to enhance the body’s metabolism, it is necessary to have a well-balanced diet, i.e. a diet that includes other nutrients as well.
  Apart from this, it is better to consume natural sources of protein like fruits, vegetables, dairy products and non-vegetarian foods, instead of protein powder. However, if a person is willing to build abs or shape his/her muscles, it is important that they set their diet only after a nutritionist’s advice. The reason is that the nutritional requirements differ from each other person-to-person.
• Myth: Lifting weights builds muscles
  Gym trainer and bodybuilder Ashish Joshi says that lifting heavy weights solely cannot help in building muscles. Different types of exercises are required to shape muscles in different parts of the body. Alongside, the frequency, intensity and repetitions of the exercise may vary accordingly. Also, if you want to build muscles, skipping your exercise routine will not help. You need to exercise regularly under expert guidance.
• Myth: One starts gaining weight immediately after he/she stops exercising
  Meenu Verma explains that it completely depends on the exercise routine you follow as well as the food you eat. She says that even if you stop your workout routine if you are having a balanced diet, you won’t gain weight.
• Myth: You can eat anything if you exercise regularly
  Today’s generation has a mindset that if you exercise regularly, you can eat anything. This is the reason why people who spend more than an hour in the gym are still suffering from fatal heart diseases. Dr. Sangeeta Malu says that proper nutrition and the right diet are not only good for a fit body but can also keep you healthy.