With all the information that is rolling on the internet about fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed sometimes and not know what are facts and what opinions.

Here are some common frequent questions that we are asked and that maybe at some point you believe. 

Myth 1: My Friend lost ‘weight’ from doing (x), should I do the same?

Let’s get this part straight before diving any deeper. There is weight loss and there is fat loss.

If you want to lose weight, you can do the following: starve, dehydrate yourself, juice detox, sit in a sauna, etc…

However, if you want to lose body fat, you just need to make sure that your body is in a slight calorie deficit (200-500 per day) and ensure you are eating enough protein to satisfy the body’s ability to sustain metabolism and build/ repair the soft tissue.

Just because your friend did (x) to lose weight, it usually isn’t the full story and is just a process they used. Don’t follow processes, follow principles.

Myth 2: I do cardio because it helps me lose weight faster than weights.

There is some truth to this statement. Cardio is a great way to help increase the amount of calories burned that day and therefore help you be in a greater calorie deficit → more fat loss (assuming that you’re eating adequate protein).

However, a lot of people forget that weights are still a great calorie burner and will continue to help you burn calories well throughout the next 24-48 hours whilst your body attempts to grow and repair itself. 

“Muscle is expensive to maintain”, which means that in order to maintain a body that’s higher in muscle mass, it will cost more calories. 

Which, back in the cavemen days might not have been a good thing, however, now it means that you have a much larger buffer system which you can either use to 

1. increase the speed at which you lose body fat
2. Not have to stress about every single calorie that comes into your body because you will likely use it towards growth and repair. 

Simply put: complete a minimum of 3 weight sessions a week and if you’d like to burn some extra calories with some cardio so that you’re able to eat a few extra at dinner time, then by all means, it’s a great idea.

Myth 3: I don’t want to get bulky from doing weights

That’s exactly like saying, “I don’t want to start running incase I turn into an olympic sprinter”.

Unfortunately, muscle mass doesn’t grow that quick. It takes a long time and requires a lot of factors to be in order before it miraculously appears. 

In order for muscle mass to grow you will need the perfect amount of stimulus, coupled with a calorie surplus so that the muscles can increase. 

Here’s where most people go wrong: 

1. They increase their calories and end up putting on a little bit of fat mass
2. As they start to lose some body fat, they can see more definition in their muscles and assume it’s bigger.  

(which I think is a good thing, but each to their own) 

The best thing to do is to stay objective, not subjective. To get proper measurements and body fat pinch tests done so that you aren’t going by feel. This is what we do at our gyms so that we can give measurable goals and success. 

Weights will only make you bulky if you’re eating in a calorie surplus and you’re increasing the size of your muscle mass + the size of your fat mass at the same time. You’re getting bigger because you’re eating too much. Stop blaming the weights.

Myth 4: I got told I need supplements to lose weight and supplements to get bigger. True or not?

Not. Supplements literally mean “filling in the gap” between what your body is getting and what your body is needing. So, if your nutrition plan was on point, there would be no need for supplementing. Supplements are a great way to ensure you’re getting enough of a certain macro or micro nutrient in your diet so that you can recover better and therefore train harder.

However, if you’re already looking for short-cuts with supplements rather than looking to change your nutrition tactics, are you really in the right mindset for success?

Myth 5: Carbs are the devil

No they’re not. 

Carbs don’t make you fat, just like fat or protein don’t make you fat.

It is the quantity in which you consume them that can make you store fat. 

The thing with carbohydrates, is that it causes blood sugar to rise. 

Due to a carbohydrate being a sugar, the more carbs you eat → the more free blood glucose you ingest → the higher your insulin goes, which then increases your body’s fat storing mechanism. 

They are also quite easily over-consumed due to their taste and flavour, so most people find it easy to over indulge carbs and therefore increase their total calories.

Too many calories → increased fat storage

Outcome, reducing carbs works for most people because it allows them to eat a diet higher in protein and good fats, so their foods are now bigger volume with less calories. 

But before we get too caught up in the science of carbs, we see so many people following theories and systems (questionable ones at that) when they should be following basic principles that stand the test of time. 

Eat high quality foods in the right quantities for your goals and ensure that you’re hitting a variety of measurable tests of fitness across a broad range of movements, modalities, and time domains.