Busting A Few Fat Loss/Fitness/Bodybuilding Myths

[Buttons91]

There are more fat loss/fitness/bodybuilding myths out in society than a single person could ever shake a stick, which, with added lies and promises given out by various fitness magazines and "celebrity" trainers, can easily lead a newbie to disaster. Therefore, I’ve set this thread up to bust as many of them as possible. Below are a few of the more popular ones, but if anyone has any others, feel free to put them out there.


Snacking Makes You Fat: You don't have to avoid snacks- in fact they are good for you. Just swap that mid-morning pasty for a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. If you just snack on crap, that's how you’re going to both look and feel. Eating regularly throughout the day will keep your metabolism fired up, your blood sugar levels stable and will also make it easy to get to your calorie target.


Eating Late At Night Will Make Me Fat: Forget the "no eating after 8pm" rule. A night-time calorie is no better or worse than a daytime one. There has been little proof provided over the last two decades to prove otherwise. So if you’re feeling like a mid-night feast, feel free. Just try and stay away from any starchy carbs and instead go for food filled with "good fats", such as nuts and slow digesting food like low-fat cottage cheese.


Doing Cardio On An Empty Stomach Burns More Fat: Some Believe that when the body has no glycogen reserves, it turns to fat-burning as an energy source. In fact, doing cardio on an empty stomach could be detrimental to weight loss. Studies have shown that people who eat nothing before exercise become fatigued faster and end their workouts prematurely. Not only that, but instead of heading to your fat stores, your body will instead break-down your muscles for protein and use that as energy instead, as it is a more efficient source.


Treats Are Off The Menu: Deprivation is the downfall of all diets (although you should be living the lifestyle, not doing the diet). If you don't satisfy your cravings, you’re more likely to fail in the long-run. Now that doesn't mean you should immediately be running off to the refrigerator, so put that rather large piece of chocolate cake down for the moment! However, you should at least arrange a cheat meal or even a cheat day once a week or every fortnight or so. By doing this, you satisfy your cravings and not only that, a cheat meal has been shown to significantly raise your metabolism, helping you to burn that un-wanted fat.


Crash Diets Are Effective: This is one of the worst offenders in the world of fitness myths. Crash diets are incredibly detrimental to your health in both the short and long term. They deprive your body of the calories and nutrients that are essential in key bodily functions, cause your metabolism to slow down (which is bad for fat loss) and will quickly put your body into a state of ketosis, otherwise known as "starvation mode". This means that your body will eat into your hard-earned muscle for protein to use as energy, while at the same time holding onto your unwanted fat. Not only that, but when you come off your crash diet and get bored of the constant hunger pangs, you will over compensate by gorging on unhealthy foods and be in even worse shape both mentally and physically than before. Instead, sort out a balanced eating and exercise plan and STICK TO IT! That is the only way to reach your goals and truly be happy with your physique and yourself as a whole. If you don't make being healthy a lifestyle choice, you will fail. End of. It might not be within the first 3 days, 3 weeks, or even 3 months, but eventually you will fall off the tracks. Don't let that happen.


Drinking Ice-Cold Water Will Help You Burn Calories: Not quite. Drinking water will definitely help minimise hunger pangs (hence why many people, including celebrities, swear by liquid crash diets), but it won't make a real difference to your fat loss programme. Although, do make sure to have a daily intake of around 2-3 litres of water per day. Water within a balanced diet will work wonders. After all, your body is around 70% water.


Eating Fat Will Make Me Fat: It sounds logical but it is in fact wrong. You should be staying away from foods with a high-saturated fat content, like burgers or pizza for example, but that doesn't mean you’re not allowed to gorge on other fats. Unsaturated fats found in oily fish (tuna and salmon are good examples), nuts and seeds can have a dramatic effect on your gains/losses. This is because un-saturated fats are key in helping balance out hormone levels and they assist in transporting oxygen to the body's tissues. Just try and keep their intake to around 20-30% of your food intake until you figure out how your body reacts to various foods and their quantities in the long run.


High Reps Will Make You Cut... Low Reps Build Size: This is in fact wrong, so stop now. High reps with a lighter weight will NOT make you more cut. Nor will training strictly in the lower rep range for extended periods of time with a heavy weight is guaranteed to produce predominantly gains in strength with minor size gains. When trying to get more cut, it all comes down to diet and cardio. That way you reduce your body-fat percentage and therefore create that "cut" look. The weight training regimen should remain pretty much the same. Remember, you want to keep as much muscle as possible when cutting. When trying to build size, lower reps in the 3-5 rep range serve their purpose on the big compound lifts that deliver both strength and size (deadlift, bench press, squat, military press, etc). However, the 6-12 rep range should also be implemented - as this is the rep range that will cause muscle growth in most trainees. A mixture of the two will more often than not, give the best gains, particularly with newbie’s.


Longer Workouts Mean Bigger Muscles: I see this every time I step into a gym. Usually, it's the same fool who does nothing but bench pressing and bicep curls (but that's another thing entirely). Muscles are not built in the gym. Yes, that's right, so now pick your jaw up off the floor. When working out in the gym, you are actually breaking down muscle fibres. By doing this while also maintaining a good diet and getting plenty of rest, you help those very same muscle fibres recover, coming back bigger and stronger than ever before. If you ever hear the phrase- "Muscles aren't built in the gym, they are built in the kitchen", take heed.


If I Do 1,00000,000000000000000r Sit-Ups/Crunches A Day, I'll Lose My Stomach/Arse/Thigh/Bingo Wing Fat: Another big myth. Firstly, let me tell you there is no such thing as "spot-reduction". This means that no matter how many sit-ups or crunches you do, you will not lose all that fat off your mid-section. Sure, you may burn a few calories, but not that many. When burning fat, it is lost from all over the body, not just one specific area. Of course, you may be building a lovely, well manufactured mid-section under all that flab, but you'll never see it until you sort your diet and cardio out. That is the only way. This rule also goes for any other exercises targeting various body parts, such as those already mentioned.


Your Muscles Will Turn Into Fat If You Stop Training: Yet another big myth. Muscles are just that. They are muscle and will never turn into anything else. Just like your liver won't turn into a kidney, and you heart won't turn into a cat. They either get bigger, stay the same, or get smaller. You cannot lose or grow the amount of muscle fibres in your body. That's that. The reason this myth is so rife is because many people see former bodybuilders or fitness fanatics out of shape. This however is due to their poor diets and lack of proper training, not because their muscles have magically transformed into something else.

[Swolebraahh]

tl;dr

try tossing the link from which u got this sh!t. instead of pasting it here rep begging











edit:

red

[Buttons91]

tl;dr

try tossing the link from which u got this sh!t. instead of pasting it here rep begging











edit:

red

So I havn't just sat here for two hours writing this out, only for you to neg me. Cheers brah.

[Swolebraahh]

So I havn't just sat here for two hours writing this out, only for you to neg me. Cheers brah.

cheers man

[herpderppp]

I stopped reading after "eatint throught the day keeps your metabolism high"


Broscientist.

[Bruno93]

I stopped reading after "eatint throught the day keeps your metabolism high"


Broscientist.

Yep, most of his points are good though, but there's a couple of flaws here and there.

[Buttons91]

I stopped reading after "eatint throught the day keeps your metabolism high"


Broscientist.

Firstly, learn to spell.
Secondly, do you have any evidence to prove me wrong? If so, put it out.

[WorkoutFreak219]

Good info but some of it is just plain bad advice. The whole getting cut low reps/high reps. Someone can get a ripped body without cardio. Sure it take hell of time, but its all about calories out vs. In. Cardio just has a lot of hearty good benefits. Main reason I'm doing it&to cutt faster. I rep back

[Buttons91]

Good info but some of it is just plain bad advice. The whole getting cut low reps/high reps. Someone can get a ripped body without cardio. Sure it take hell of time, but its all about calories out vs. In. Cardio just has a lot of hearty good benefits. Main reason I'm doing it&to cutt faster. I rep back

Yeah true. However, I put that one in to highlight an important piece of mis-information more than anything. Low reps can build muscle just as fast as high reps can, it all depends on a number of factors, including volume and the amount of stress placed onto a named area. The idea that one can only build muscle by doing low reps and high weight, while the only way to get cut is to use high weight and high volume is simply absurd.
I stressed cardio just as much as diet, but I see where you're comming from.

[Dosekel]

I haven't read, we need sources.

No need bro-science, yay for sources.

[herpderppp]

Firstly, learn to spell.
Secondly, do you have any evidence to prove me wrong? If so, put it out.

I can spell just fine, this ****ty dell wireless keyboard with dying batteries is another issue altogether.

[Hyruliangoat]

Surprisingly almost everything he said was true with thr exception of

eat more meals to speed metabolism

Protein is NOT a more efficient form of energy


Why not starchy carbs? Thats silly


Crash diets do work actually lol. And ketosis is not muscle being converted into a suitable form of energy...nor is it starvation mode...

[y0lked]

6'1 168 u srs?

[Buttons91]

I can spell just fine, this ****ty dell wireless keyboard with dying batteries is another issue altogether.

Fair dues, forgiven.

[Buttons91]

6'1 168 u srs?

No it's just over 175 now. Doing a lot of cardio for the military, so finding it more difficult to pack on the pounds.

[danzink]

Or instead of having a cheat meal, fit foods you like into your macros. Cravings solved...

Now you can go longer before your next refeed.

[y0lked]

No it's just over 175 now. Doing a lot of cardio for the military, so finding it more difficult to pack on the pounds.

i feel skinny as phuck at anything lower than 185

[WilsonTiger]

no sources. broscience. red.

[TheSoupster]

Firstly, learn to spell.
Secondly, do you have any evidence to prove me wrong? If so, put it out.

There is evidence to prove you wrong, can't link because I'm on my phone but check out the nutrition forum. There's links in the stickies. Also, look up leangains, IF, or Warrior Diet. Meal frequency has no effect on metabolism.

[mushu1994]

i feel skinny as phuck at anything lower than 185

I bet your feeling like Shaggy at 182lbs then atm.

EDIT: Shaggy... Scooby Doo's Pal.

[MURDR]

no eating after 8pm

What, do these people thinks we're gremlins?

[WorkoutFreak219]

Surprisingly almost everything he said was true with thr exception of

eat more meals to speed metabolism

Protein is NOT a more efficient form of energy


Why not starchy carbs? Thats silly


Crash diets do work actually lol. And ketosis is not muscle being converted into a suitable form of energy...nor is it starvation mode...

How About Dont Do Crash Diets unless you need to get that last 3% BF FOR A SHOW?
LOL Hit your macros. Your Either Eating above maintainence to gain or below to cut.
SIMPLE AS THAT.
STICKIES FTW.

Protein deff in a main source.
Dont eat starchy carbs right before you go to bed?
Casein Protein right before bed xD

[Hyruliangoat]

How About Dont Do Crash Diets unless you need to get that last 3% BF FOR A SHOW?
LOL Hit your macros. Your Either Eating above maintainence to gain or below to cut.
SIMPLE AS THAT.
STICKIES FTW.

Protein deff in a main source.
Dont eat starchy carbs right before you go to bed?
Casein Protein right before bed xD

Crash diets work regardless. Is it healthy? No, but do they worlk? Yes.

And no its not. Fatty acids and glucose but primarily fa's are whats used.

Lol at casein, doesnt make a difference.

[WorkoutFreak219]

Crash diets work regardless. Is it healthy? No, but do they worlk? Yes.

And no its not. Fatty acids and glucose but primarily fa's are whats used.

Lol at casein, doesnt make a difference.

LOL My Iphone didnt Put No Its Not*
Yeaah Carbs are a main source of energy.
I tend to eat em most post&and I eat less&less carbs towards bed.

Casein protein Is pretty great before bed man.

[Hyruliangoat]

LOL My Iphone didnt Put No Its Not*
Yeaah Carbs are a main source of energy.
I tend to eat em most post&and I eat less&less carbs towards bed.

Casein protein Is pretty great before bed man.

Why? Post workout carbs benefit u how? Do u realize how hard it is to depelete glycogen stores? Theres no signidicant benfit to carbs postwkput. and why less before bed? Why does it matter?


No not really, there is nothing special about casein. Its "slow digestive" properties dont do much.

[WorkoutFreak219]

Why? Post workout carbs benefit u how? Do u realize how hard it is to depelete glycogen stores? Theres no signidicant benfit to carbs postwkput. and why less before bed? Why does it matter?


No not really, there is nothing special about casein. Its "slow digestive" properties dont do much.

During Lifting You deplete most of your glycogen stores.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm
THERES MANY MORE ARTICLES BRO about carbs.

Heres why to take casien. Theres more studys on here too man.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/case...ed-to-know.htm

[WorkoutFreak219]

During Lifting You deplete most of your glycogen stores.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm
THERES MANY MORE ARTICLES BRO about carbs.

Heres why to take casien. Theres more studys on here too man.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/case...ed-to-know.htm

Ofcourse you dont burn all your glycogen man.

[snorkelman]

During Lifting You deplete most of your glycogen stores.

Let's assume for sake of argument that this ^^ is accurate. Guess what? The body is really amazing, because it immediately begins replentishing glycogen after a workout even if you don't eat anything.

This graph shows how the body replentishes glycogen on own (in a 2 hour period post exercise with no (zero) food or supplements



^^ After 2 hours of passive recovery without caloric intake, muscle glycogen increased by 22.2 +/- 6.8 and 14.2 +/- 2.5 mmol/kg wet wt in the I-70 and I-35 trials, respectively.


See, Muscle glycogenolysis during differing intensities of weight-resistance exercise. Robergs RA,et al. J Appl Physiol. 1991 Apr;70(4):1700-6.

Now, if you are an endurance athlete who needs to compete again with the same glycogen-depleted muscles LATER THAT SAME DAY (before the body replentishes glycogen on its own) then perhaps you may be in a narrow group where high GI carbs may benefit you.

[WorkoutFreak219]

Let's assume for sake of argument that this ^^ is accurate. Guess what? The body is really amazing, because it immediately begins replentishing glycogen after a workout even if you don't eat anything.

This graph shows how the body replentishes glycogen on own (in a 2 hour period post exercise with no (zero) food or supplements



^^ After 2 hours of passive recovery without caloric intake, muscle glycogen increased by 22.2 +/- 6.8 and 14.2 +/- 2.5 mmol/kg wet wt in the I-70 and I-35 trials, respectively.


See, Muscle glycogenolysis during differing intensities of weight-resistance exercise. Robergs RA,et al. J Appl Physiol. 1991 Apr;70(4):1700-6.

Now, if you are an endurance athlete who needs to compete again with the same glycogen-depleted muscles LATER THAT SAME DAY (before the body replentishes glycogen on its own) then perhaps you may be in a narrow group where high GI carbs may benefit you.

So Your Saying just dont eat carbs after you workout because its pretty pointless?

I eat Low GI Carbs.

[Hyruliangoat]

During Lifting You deplete most of your glycogen stores.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm
THERES MANY MORE ARTICLES BRO about carbs.

Heres why to take casien. Theres more studys on here too man.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/case...ed-to-know.htm

Sigh. No, u dont. Unless ur lifting like hours on hand, ur not. U dont understand how hard it truly is to cause mg depletion. I could care less about articles, refference studys if ur going to argue.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3519361

And well said Snorkel, did not know that.


And sigh once again.

"I prefer whey. The data showing casein to be superior used whole-body protein balance and amino acid oxidation to determine the benefit of whey or casein. Wholebody protein breakdown and balance are more so influenced by the gut, which turns over by 80 percent in one day rather than the skeletal muscle, which only turns over about <1 percent per day. Thus, changes in whole-body protein metabolism most often is a result of changes in gut protein metabolism. Also, our lab has shown that sustained elevations in plasma amino acids aren’t sufficient to keep protein synthesis elevated over time. We found that even though amino acid levels were still elevated at 3–5 hours post-meal, protein synthesis had become refractory and returned to baseline levels by three hours (Norton, et al). Rennie and colleagues also found that protein synthesis only lasted about two hours in response to a constant infusion of amino acids even though they infused amino acids for about six hours! Thus, it appears that it may be better to use a fast digesting protein and bolus amino acids rather than a protein like casein, which maintains amino acid levels for a longer period of time but doesn’t stimulate synthesis to the same degree as whey. I'd like to end that though by stating that the overwhelming determinant factor will almost always be total protein intake. Worry about getting enough protein in first and then worry about what kind and how to distribute it." - Layne Norton

This is just one of the many things to bash casein. Once again slow digesting doesnt mean better. Id suggest u read up a bit more on metabolism and also whey. Whey is superior period. BUT as a blend there is a synergy, but notjing special with casein on its own. And if ud like to see laynes full discussion on the protein synthesis refractory period let me know