Fitness Faux Pas

These fitness myths might be wrecking your workout.

Just getting to the gym can feel like an accomplishment, and we don’t want you to waste that time by believing these common fitness myths.

It’s time to set the record straight so you can see results sooner and maintain a healthier lifestyle. Let the debunking begin.

Myth: Crunches will give me abs. Says who? To really chisel those abs, womenshealthmag.com suggests targeting multiple muscles within your core with exercises like planks, pushups and weighted squats or lunges. Combine these exercises with a healthy diet, and kiss those crunches good-bye.

Myth: As long as I exercise, I can eat whatever I want.

It’s easy to overestimate how many calories you burn during each workout, and it may be helpful to step back and calculate your calories to see how you can improve your diet. According to Maik Wiedenbach, a personal trainer based in New York, “Your eating has to be in check. About 80 percent of what you look like is based on diet.”

Myth: I shouldn’t work out when I’m sick.

Stuffy nose? Allergies acting up? Yeah, you’re fine. If you don’t have a fever or something like chest congestion (or any contagious ailment) and doctor’s orders to stay home, then, according to womenshealthmag.com, there’s no reason you need to skip the gym. Unless, of course, you’re looking for an excuse.

Myth: I can target my fat burn. In a study found in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 11 people worked out only one leg for 12 weeks. Turns out, the participants lost the same amount of fat in both legs. Plus, they lost some fat in the other parts of their bodies, too.

Myth: I’m supposed to stretch before my workout.

Stretching elongates the muscles in order to prevent injury. Doing it before your workout will decrease your muscle tension and might actually increase your risk for injury. Instead, warm up with light weights or by walking on the treadmill (if you’re doing cardio) before your workout, and stretch after.

Myth: I’m a woman so I need to lift light weights and do more reps.

Your three-pound weights aren’t going to cut it, ladies. Because women don’t have as much testosterone as men, they aren’t able to bulk up like men—even if they lift heavy. Wiedenbach recommends that women, along with men, lift a weight that’s challenging enough to do only six to eight reps per set.