Top 8 Training Myths Debunked by Studies
Discerning legit and reliable information on effective training is harder than it seems these days. It is already difficult enough to keep up with a workout regime. Yet the sheer number of misinformation from different sources is making things worse. Gyms, social media and internet “gurus” throw around fad theories which can get in the way of maximizing our workouts. These theories not only lack evidence, they also prevent us from making the most out of the little time we have.
On the other hand, fundamental truths often get lost in the pool of these myths. While some of these myths are harmless, others will make your gains suffer. The worst case? You’re waiting for an injury to happen.
It’s time to call out these bro-science and bullshit once and for all. Here we will identify the top 8 training myths and using evidence, we will put them to rest.
Top 8 Nutrition Myths Debunked
With the internet at the tip of our fingertips today, you would think that nutrition myths are less prevalent as compared to the past. A quick google and you will be able to find the scientific debunks to old wives’ tales.
Unfortunately, quite the opposite is true. Due to the endless streams of information and how broad the industry is, the internet is rife with stacks of misinformation, trends and fads, making it increasingly hard to find reliable information. This is fueled by marketing tactics from advertisements and social media that prey on desperate, lazy people who want short cuts to success.
Even studies can be junk science if they are not reviewed properly. For example, researcher Johannes Bohannon fooled many using a flawed study on how chocolate can help weight loss. Such potentially huge headliners often get published by journalists without verification, due to their hasty search for viral hits.
Here I will be identifying some of the biggest nutrition myths. I will also be looking at why these beliefs should be put to rest based on evidence.
How to Stop the Unhealthy Diet Mentality of “All-or-Nothing”
Picture this: You’ve been extremely strict with your diet and eating ‘healthy’ all week by cycling the same types of food from Monday to Friday - Steamed chicken breast, brown rice, boiled eggs, and broccoli. You go all out tracking your food, chasing every grain of rice that falls off the food scale. You stay away from all kinds of snacks and desserts across the weekdays, just to follow the guidelines you have set for yourself.
And then comes the weekend. By then, you’ve been so sick of eating the same foods over and over again, and enough of being overly stressed about your food restrictions. Your willpower snaps, and you give yourself the license in indulge in whatever you want. You stuff yourself with desserts and drinks, eating way beyond what you usually do. The worst thing is that you feel terribly guilty after, hating yourself for the lack of control, and promise yourself you would restrict yourself for the whole week as a form of punishment.
Does that sound like you? If it is, it can be very tiring, right? Well, the good news is, this vicious cycle of restrict, indulge and guilt should not be the way you diet! In fact, the biggest reason why people fail their diet plans is because they are too restrictive, as seen in this study.
In this article, we will look at some of the common unhealthy “All-or-Nothing” mentalities and how to curb them. Let’s dive in.
The Optimal Training Volume to Build the Most Muscle (Tons of Research!)
One of the most common questions among lifters is figuring out exactly how much volume or how many sets one should do in a workout.
On one hand, some say that doing a few sets close to failure is sufficient for muscle growth and doing too much can cause injury, overtraining, and excess fatigue. On the other, others say that the more volume, the more gains. Which is right and which is wrong?
The short answer is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer as different training frequency may work better for others. The long answer? Here we will look at some evidences to find out how many sets of workout you should do to optimally build muscle.
How Alcohol can Affect your Weight and Fitness Goals
The year-end is here and alcohol may be unavoidable from your social events, such as Christmas and the New Years. (Yes, it’s 2021 already! Where did all the time go?) If you have been exercising regularly and keeping your nutrition in check, it is important to understand the effects of alcohol on your fitness.
You probably already know that alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain, because of the extra calories. This is also shown in research. But there is actually a lot more reasons why alcohol consumption can prevent you from reaching your weight and fitness goals. Not having a balanced approach to consuming alcohol could be what is standing in your way of reaping the rewards of all the hard work you’ve put in so far.
Here I’ll be taking you through some of the ways how alcohol can cause weight gain and negatively affect your fitness. Not forgetting practical tips to manage your alcohol intake. If you’re serious about shedding your belly fat and putting on significant amount of muscle, make sure you reduce your alcohol intake, or even better, cut it completely!
Evidence-Based Guide to Fitness Habits
Have you ever looked at a fit person and wondered how he or she stayed this lean all year round? How would it be possible for that person to eat healthy all the time, and show up to the gym 5 times a week without fail?
Chances are, you probably know someone like that. And you might think to yourself that he or she is just an extremely motivated individual, hard-wired to enjoy the tortures of life.
Well, the good (or bad) news is that it is nearly impossible to sustain such motivation for long periods of time. The fact is that this ‘madly driven’ person you wish you could be, would actually find it very hard to continuously endure such pains too.
So how does this person resist temptations and stick to the program all the time? The answer lies in changing habits.
In this article, I’ll be taking a scientific approach on how to build good habits for fitness and how to break bad ones. Let’s dive in.
4 Reasons to Lift Weights
The main and perhaps only reason you lift weights is to build muscle. In fact, unsurprisingly, the leading motivation that people hit the gym is to put on mass, or to look ripped. However, there are many other reasons you should be lifting weights, arguably more important ones. That is why I always recommend everyone to lift weights. Truth be told, focusing on the other multitude of reasons instead may actually be more motivating for you.
Personally, lifting weights changed my life for the better. Check out some of reasons how it can do the same for you!
Answer to Skinny Fat
Skinny fat. An oxymoron that gained popularity in the last 10 years. How can someone be both “skinny” and “fat” at the same time? This frightening combination of words is actually applicable to more people that you expect. Those who are skinny fat face a huge dilemma. The weighing scale says “skinny” but the mirror screams “fat”. They are too skinny with their shirt on, yet look too fat with their shirt off, not forgetting a myriad of health problems that come with it.
Even if they’re motivated to do something about it, they’ll probably still be very confused on what to do exactly - whether to focus on eating more to build muscle (bulking) or eating less to lose fat (cutting). There are also experts who recommend body recomposition, which is gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. But which is the best method to curb skinny fat? How should a skinny fat person approach diet and exercise?
In this article, I’ll be explaining what exactly is skinny fat and the best method(s) to fix it. Let’s dive right in.
Enduring Pain is the Road to Success
Everyone experiences pain in their lifetime, whether it’s the physical pain of accidentally knocking into something, mental pain of waking up early to get to work, or emotional pain when you lose someone you love. But what exactly is pain and how is it related to fitness?
Pain is basically a discomfort highly associated with effort. When your body is put through an environment that it is not used to, it will warrant attention to your brain through pain. This can be either psychological or physiological. As you push yourself beyond your body’s limit, your brain will try and protect you by saying, “Hey, this does not right, stop whatever you’re doing and take a break!”
However, when done right, pain is actually necessary for growth, both physical and mental. It is therefore important to make sense of and find purpose of the pain. How you handle pain can define how successful you are, not only in achieving your fitness goals, but your life goals as well.
In this article, I will be going through the types of pain you will experience during your fitness journey, the positives of pain, and tips to endure pain. Let’s dig in.
Everything you need to know about Newbie Gains
You’ve heard the benefits of lifting weights. It improves your metabolism, reduce risks of diseases, and helps with better posture. More importantly, for the guys, you want to put on slabs of muscle to fill your shirt, and for the girls, to have toned legs, arms and back to wear fitting clothes more confidently. And so you made a decision to sign up for that gym membership.
However, stepping into a gym for the first time and picking up your first dumbbell can be intimidating. New movements and terminology can be overwhelming. But good news for you! If you are new to lifting weights, you can put on muscle incredibly quickly. That’s a special advantage that many seasoned lifters would envy. You can progress with relative ease - as much as 15 kg of muscle for men, or 8 kg of muscle for women, in just one year of proper training! This is the power of newbie gains, which refers to the rapid increase in muscle and strength for individuals who just started lifting.
In this article, I’ll be explaining more about newbie gains, how to maximize them, and what’s next.
Let’s get started.