With the barrage of exercise and diet fads on the Internet today, it is pretty difficult to filter which information is useful and which ones are not. The good news, however, is the fact that you are reading this now and that suggests you are wondering which statement about aerobic exercise is not true. To pacify your confusion, here is a list for your reference.
You Only Need Aerobic Exercise To Manage Your Weight
This is a myth for two reasons. One, conventional aerobic exercise needs to go hand in hand with a calorically restricted diet. Two, even if you do both, it does little to preserve your lean body mass since the latter is proportional to your resting metabolic rate.
On top of this, aerobic exercise alone burns both fat and muscle. What this means is, on top of aerobic exercise and a calorically restricted diet, you also need to improve your muscular fitness.
Doing a combination of weight training and jogging, for example, will help manage and maintain your weight and lean body mass by elevating your metabolism and burning more fat, even when your body is at rest.
It has also been observed that sticking to a single routine exercise is not sustainable physically and mentally.
Either your body will adapt to your routine and not yield much efficiency, or you will grow tired and bored of your usual exercise that you end up making excuses to skip it. It is important to introduce variety to keep your body and mind challenged.
You Need At Least An Hour To Do Aerobic Exercise, Otherwise You Can Forget About It
Even if this is true, it is still within the realm of reason to allot an hour each day to take care of your body. The good news though is you don’t need an hour every day for aerobic exercise to make a difference to your health.
Any movement you make burns calories, which means you can incorporate exercise into your daily activities.
According to certified trainer David Atkinson, the key is to use your time wisely. So, for example, you can wake up half an hour earlier each morning and take your dog for a walk.
You can also enjoy family time by taking your children swimming, biking, or any physical activity that you can enjoy with them.
At work, you can use your breaks to take walks in your office. If possible, you can also opt to use the stairs instead of the elevator, or park your car a block away from the office and walk the remaining distance.
Squeezing in 10-30 minutes of physical activity in a day is all you need to fight off cardiovascular diseases and other health conditions that come with lack of exercise and weight problems.
You Burn More Body Fat By Doing Aerobic Exercise On An Empty Stomach
This myth may be weird now, but it was largely accepted for a time and some people still believe it to this day. The idea that without readily available calories in your body will make it turn to your stored supply and result to burning fat is a good assumption.
However, that is not how it works according to a 2011 meta-analysis. Researchers found that the amount of fat your body burns is consistent regardless of whether you had a meal or skipped it prior to exercising. The big difference though is in the muscle catabolism or muscle loss that takes place when you skip your pre-exercise snack.
This makes sense since logically, your body needs energy to exert effort into exercising. This does not mean that you can eat big meals or have a feast before working out though. Small, healthy snacks is the key to maintaining your muscles and perform at a higher level to burn fat. Read more about the meal plan guide on Veganliftz.
If You Stop Doing Aerobic Exercises Regularly, Your Muscles Will Turn To Fat
This myth is a physical anomaly. Muscle and fat are two unique tissues with different cell composition and chemistry. It is not like water that can turn to solid if placed in a cold environment and gas if exposed to heat.
If you are overweight and you start exercising, you will eventually build muscles and burn fat. A healthy diet paired with aerobic exercise, weight training, and good sleep help get rid of body fat and develop muscles.
It’s easy to assume that fat from a once-flabby belly has turned into rip muscles. If, for some reason, you stopped exercising, eating healthy, and sleeping well, you won’t be able to maintain the muscle structure that you have built.
Over a period of time, you will regain the fat and lose your toned muscles. However, this won’t be the case if you make dietary changes.
You can avoid gaining back the pounds without exercise by eating healthy although the best practice is to continue investing on physical activities.
Losing Weight Through Aerobic Exercise, Weight Training, And Calorie Restriction Is Not For Everyone
There are genetic variables and biological pathways that have to be considered when it comes to weight loss, particularly with obesity. Some medical conditions like depression, hypothyroidism, and PCOS increase a person’s chances of becoming overweight or obese.
Some hormones also play a big part in regulating body weight. There are people, for instance, who are resistant to leptin, also known as the starvation hormone. It is responsible for signaling the brain that the body has enough fat.
Without this signal, the brain automatically thinks the body is starving. As eating is a behavior driven by biochemistry and physiology, it is difficult, if not impossible, for people with this disorder not to eat more than they should.
Hormonal and genetic conditions also make a person more prone to anxiety and mood swings. In most cases, this is the reason why it is generally hard for people with these conditions to get gym memberships or be in an environment where they feel judged.
Despite all these, however, people should not be enslaved by their genetics or the opinions of others. Although it is much harder for a person with these conditions, it is still not impossible to lose weight. In fact, there are aerobic exercises now that are particularly designed for people who are struggling with obesity.
At the end of it all, it is still a matter of creating a sustainable change in perspective and behavior to succeed in achieving a healthier body and lifestyle.
In Conclusion…
So there you have it with aerobic exercise myths. Hope you enjoyed this list and that you use your newfound information to help spread the good word to those who still think the false statements listed above are true.
Hope this article also helps you keep an open mind for people who are struggling with weight issues. Remember, instead of judging, help encourage them. Good deeds and a happy environment help you stay healthy as well so, it is a win-win for everyone.
If you like this article, or not, leave a comment below and tell us what you think. You can also share this to help spread the truth about these aerobic exercise myths and health in general.
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