Happy Healthy Human Coach Michelle Cuff joins Gail Guyardo, host of the global health and wellness show Bloom, to discuss the myths of fitness. She also guided Gallardo through some stretches that defy common sense.
Myth or fact: Can you tone your muscles just by lifting weights?
Yes, you can tone your muscles through various forms of exercise and physical activity. “Toning” usually refers to the process of increasing muscle definition, reducing body fat, and creating a lean, toned appearance.
Myth or fact: Will sit-ups give you abs?
Doing sit-ups is an essential part of developing and strengthening your abdominal muscles, but getting visible “abs” (defined, toned abs) requires more than just doing sit-ups.
Diet is one of the most important factors in achieving visible abs, and maintaining a low body fat percentage is important. Even if you have strong abdominal muscles, they may become invisible if they are covered with body fat. To reveal your abs, you need to focus on a balanced diet that creates a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume) to reduce body fat.
Myth or fact: Muscle turns to fat or fat turns to muscle.
Muscle and fat are completely different types of tissue, and one doesn’t magically transform into the other. It’s a common misconception that muscle can turn into fat and vice versa, but this is not biologically accurate. If muscle turns into fat, or fat appears to turn into muscle, here’s what happens.
Muscle tissue is made up of muscle fibers, and adipose tissue is made up of fat cells (adipocytes). These tissues have different structures and functions within the body.
Changes in body composition often occur. Participating in strength training to build muscle can help you look more toned and slimmer. Conversely, if you stop exercising and consume excess calories, you may gain fat and look less toned.
Myth or Fact: You should do static stretching before training
The idea that you need to do static stretching before a workout has been common for a while. However, current research and recommendations are evolving, suggesting that dynamic stretching and other warm-up methods may be more effective and safer.
Dynamic stretching involves active movements that mimic the movements you perform during a workout. It increases blood flow to your muscles, increases your heart rate, and prepares your body for more intense activity. Examples of dynamic stretches include leg swings, arm rotations, and hip rotations. Dynamic stretching is generally considered to be more effective for warming up before a workout compared to static stretching.
