Are you receiving questionable fitness tips? You can’t believe everything you hear in the gym.

Despite our best efforts, some off-the-wall fitness myths are still making the rounds. It’s better to know the truth, so you can avoid wasting time and suffering disappointment. So, be prepared to be shocked as we reveal the top seven most common fitness myths.

Weightlifting is Only For Getting Big Muscles

Weightlifting still suffers from an image problem. Too many people believe that weightlifting is only for those who want to look like comic book superheroes come to life.

But weightlifting is valuable for getting in shape and losing weight. It’s suitable across genders and age groups.

Lifting weights doesn’t mean that you will bulk up. You would have to embark on a specific routine to achieve massive muscles. But regular weightlifting can increase your metabolism and help you develop lean, solid musculature.

Relax if you’re concerned about having a body that’s too chiseled. Once again, you would have to maintain a deliberate regimen to see that result. 

You can keep the shape you prefer. But weightlifting will add better posture and strength to get you through your most demanding days easily.

Calories Should Be Your Primary Concern

Counting calories to the near exclusion of everything else belongs to another era. These days, we know that the calories in a fast food cheeseburger aren’t the same as those in wild salmon, for example.

Instead of just counting calories, you have to take into account the source of the calories. You also have to consider the effect of the food on your body. Each food should have a nutritional profile that fits your well-chosen weight loss program.

Imagine someone telling you they have cut their calories by eating only one meal a day. It sounds good until you discover that the meal consists solely of fried donuts.

You Can Easily Burn Off Extra Calories

How often have you heard someone say they’re going to spend an extra 30 minutes on the treadmill to make up for overindulging at the drive-thru? Their plan seems admirable. After all, if you can burn off calories that easily, why not indulge?

But let’s take a look at reality. If you consumed a Big Mac, medium fries, and a medium drink, you would have consumed an estimated 1080 calories. And that’s McDonald’s calculation.

So would 30 minutes on a treadmill erase those calories? Not even close. The typical 150-pound person would have to run at a pace of five miles an hour for 1.8 hours to burn 1,000 calories. Suddenly, that trip through the drive-thru doesn’t sound so appealing.

Instead, try a doctor-supervised weight loss program like ChiroThin. It’s built on solid scientific research rather than myth.

Under guidance, you’ll maintain a carefully arranged nutritional plan that will give your body the nutrients it needs while igniting your metabolism to burn unwanted fat.

No Pain, No Gain

Why do even the best of us turn masochistic when getting in shape? We’ve learned to be kinder and gentler to ourselves when it comes to mental health, but sadly we still think we need to whip ourselves into physical shape.

Collapsing at the end of a workout shouldn’t be a goal. Neither should the inability to move stiff muscles to get out of bed the next morning be a badge of honor.

Any competent fitness trainer should be able to draft a sensible workout routine for you. It should challenge you but not make you feel victimized.

Getting in shape should be one of life’s great pleasures. It shouldn’t be a punishment.

You Can Lose Weight in One Specific Area

We would like to tell our bodies to concentrate on dropping pounds from only one area. That’s called spot reduction or target fat loss. It doesn’t work.

The body is quite democratic when it comes to losing weight. The pounds come off a little bit from everywhere.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be specific areas we want to enhance. But it means you shouldn’t shift your fitness routine off balance by being overly focused on one body part.

Instead, think holistically. You want to concentrate on the whole body and disregard bogus weight loss tips. After all, the ability to lose weight in one place is only a myth.

No Knees Over Toes

Somehow, the myth was born that knees should never go past toes during a fitness routine. It’s safe to say that your knees often go past your toes in everyday situations.

In many circumstances, your body will balance itself with knees over toes. It’s natural. If you’re not losing your equilibrium but feel solidly planted, it’s probably a sign that your exercise methods are okay.

Exercise Converts Fat Into Muscle

Fat tissue and muscle tissue are different. One can’t transform into the other.

But the myth persists that, like Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold, we can convert flab into solid rock. What we really want to do is strengthen the muscle with exercise while reducing fat through good nutrition.

The result may appear to onlookers as if we worked a miracle. But we’ll know that the credit goes to a sensible fitness program of reasonable exercise and healthy eating.

Go Beyond Fitness Myths

How many of the fitness myths mentioned have you heard?

How many were you believing? Don’t worry. We won’t tell anyone.

But now that you know what’s true and what’s false, what’s your next step?