Debunking The Myths!

Many people have heard all kinds of tom-foolery when it comes to health & fitness, but what can you really trust? Everyone has their own little unique ways of doing things, but science, proven science backed facts, are really the only thing we can all agree on for sure. Here are some common myths debunked that I found interesting in this article, and wanted to share with you.

1) High reps/Low weight = Muscle Definition & Tone...Really all that this routine does is increase muscular endurance, and if that's in your plan, fine, do it all you want, but if you're going into a routine to "tone", there really is no such thing. Following an all around healthy diet and constant physical fitness level will give you what you desire.

2) Spot Reducing Fat...doing 1,000 crunches isn't going to just cut down the fat around your abdominal wall and give you rockin' abs. You need to reduce the amount of fat in your whole body before you'll be able to see muscle like that.

3) More training = More muscle...nope, not going to work. Working out 7 days a week will lead to overtraining, which is the last thing you want to do in a quest to achieve muscle mass. You're body needs time to recover from intense training bouts. That's how you grow muscle.

4) All Calories are Created Equal...having 2,000 calories of pizza and chips in a day is NOT the same as 2,000 calories of whole-grain pasta, broccoli, lean chicken meat. Making healthy choices in the food court will lead to greater gains in the weight room.

5) All Fats are Bad...not true, because nuts have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are healthy oils. Fat is an essential nutrient used by the body for energy.

6) Eating Any Food at Night is Bad...even though many people think eating at night will lead to weight gain or fat gain, the body needs some essential nutrients for that 8 hour fasting your about to do (sleep!). Having a protein rich snack or small meal before bed will help the body recover overnight.

7) Training Like a Pro is Best...these "bodybuilders" have been lifting for years and eating the right foods for years so really don't try to replicate a workout that you've seen them perform. Most of them are on drugs anyways.


So hopefully some myths have been debunked, for more myths and in-depth analysis go to the website and enjoy.
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/15_teen_training_myths.htm

Lacking Motivation?

A big problem for people when it comes to "the gym" is motivation. People are much more comfortable at their homes, on their couches, and less likely to say "You know what, I'm going to get up, get dressed, and go work out." Of course, we Movement Science Majors love that, but most people do not, and they need that extra motivation. This article hit on many aspects of my daily life, and I thought it would be great to share some of my favorites pieces from it.

1. Self-Efficacy - if anyone has taken Foundation II, they know what this means. It is basically your personal belief in yourself. If you tell yourself all day you can't go lift weights at the gym, you're probably not going to go lift weights at the gym, you might not even go to the gym. So its crucial to develop the attitude that you CAN do these things. "I can go run for 30 minutes today because I am in good shape, and will soon be in better shape."

2. Family & Friend Support - we all know that we have some friends who just hate the gym. By all means, that's fine, if they want to wade around town in their fat suit lacking any muscle what-so-ever, let em'. But its important to surround yourself with people who enjoy activities that you enjoy, like going to the gym, so they can help you, they can talk to you about new routines, etc.

4. An Action Plan - I learned this on my own, because I always used to go to the gym, empty handed, and do whatever I felt like doing. I'd always come out feeling like I didn't do enough, or did the wrong things, or didn't know what I was doing. Go into the gym with a game plan, a workout outline, and base your workout off of that. You can track your progress and see results.

8. A Role Model - Everyone knows someone, or can picture someone in their head that they want to look like. Guys definitely don't talk about how much they like Brad Pitt's abs in Fight Club, but they are certainly all thinking it when they watch the movie. Pick an image that you can obtain (don't choose some gigantic bodybuilder because they are on steroids, you hopefully are not). Females don't have to strive for the "Barbie" image that media tries to hit home but pick an actress or athlete who you can relate to, and try to base your routine around someone or something you like.

9. Knowledge - it is so important to know what you're doing in the gym, so READ UP. Bodybuilding.com is one of the best supersites you can go to for ANYTHING nutrition or exercise related. Find out what your muscles are doing when you perform that curl, take an Anatomy class and see what muscles you can work out. Build knowledge over the course of a lifetime and you will most certainly be a better person for it.

So if you feel like you don't have the motivation you wish you could, think of some of these things, and work on it. Tell a friend some of these things, and they should probably feel up to going to the gym. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will your ideal body. Just know that everytime you may not want to go to the gym, someone else does.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark16.htm