14 Common Misconceptions About Workouts

Not sure how to separate exercise-related fact and fiction? Here are 14 of the most common misconceptions about workouts so you know what not to believe:

1. If you’re not sweating, you’re not working out hard enough. Some people don’t sweat a lot naturally, so this isn’t a good indicator of energy expenditure.
2. 2. Lifting weights will make you look like a bodybuilder. Lifting weights normally will help you tone, not bulk you up.
3. To know how many calories you’re burning, check the counter on the machine. If you want a more accurate number, use a personalized monitor or calculate the number yourself.
4. Weight training burns fewer calories than cardio. Not always; it depends on the type of workout.
5. The best way to assess whether you’re working out hard enough is to use a heart monitor. Some are more accurate than others, but it’s always best to listen to your body and judge this yourself.
6. You can eat a lot more calories if you’re working out. Most workouts only burn a couple hundred calories which isn’t enough to justify adding another big meal to your day.
7. You can spot reduce. While you can tone particular muscles, you won’t see them if they’re covered in fat so that should be your first goal.
8. I can be lazy the rest of the day as long as I’ve worked out. The more movement you have in your day, the better.
9. I can eat what I want as long as I’ve worked out. Exercising isn’t a free pass for eating junk food.
10. “No pain, no gain.” Exercise shouldn’t hurt. If it does, you’re doing something wrong.
11. If I don’t have 30-60 minutes, I might as well not exercise at all. Research shows that even 10 minute intervals are beneficial.
12. Lifting weights will make the scale go up. It may initially, but then it will go down because muscle burns more calories than fat.
13. Low intensity is better than high intensity (or vice versa). Both have a place in a proper exercise session, so vary your workouts for the best results.
14. Stretching will prevent injuries. Stretching helps improve health, but research has found it doesn’t necessarily keep you from being injured.