- Regular exercise is essential for health, but there's tons of conflicting fitness advice out there.
- Those misconceptions range from outdated ideas about weight lifting to popular myths about the proper time to dedicate to a workout.
- Make sure you're not falling into any of these common workout traps.
When even researchers seem conflicted on exercise subjects ranging from the amount of time we're supposed to dedicate to exercise to the proper time for a workout, it can be tough to feel motivated enough to get moving.
Because there's so much conflicting health and fitness advice out there, we've outlined all of the biggest workout myths and misconceptions and countered them (where possible) with truth. Use this as a guide to get fit in the most efficient way possible.
Learn the reality about the best time of day to hit the gym, the quickest ticket to 6-pack abs, and why running a marathon isn't the best way to achieve your fitness goals.
SEE ALSO: Harvard doctors say this neglected move is a better way to get strong abs than sit-ups
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Myth: Exercise doesn't help counter the negative effects of aging.
Truth: Regular exercise has key benefits for the brain and body that include helping to counteract some of the negative effects of aging.
Researchers behind a study published this summer in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that older people who spent less time sitting and more time moving had fewer signs of encroaching heart disease — as measured by key markers of damage in the blood.
The scientists had 1,600 British volunteers ages 60 to 64 wear heart-rate sensors for five days. They analyzed the participants' activity levels and compared them to indicators of heart disease such as cholesterol precursors and a substance called interleukin-6. Overall, the participants with more activity had lower levels of all of the negative biomarkers.
"It's important to replace time spent sedentary with any intensity level of activity," said Ahmed Elhakeem, the study's author and a professor of epidemiology at England's University of Bristol.
Myth: A sluggish metabolism is the main reason you gain weight as you age.
Truth: As far as calorie-burning capacity goes, our metabolisms barely budge after age 30, according to the National Institutes of Health. That means this frequently vilified component of our bodies is not the real culprit when it comes to the pounds that seem to creep on with each passing decade. Instead, age-related weight gain has far more to do with activity patterns, which slowly grind down over time. The best way to avoid age-related weight gain is simply moving around more.
Myth: To stay in shape, you only need to work out once or twice a week.
Truth: Once or twice a week won't cut it for sustained health benefits.
For your workouts to produce real results, you should be exercising 3-5 times a week, Chris Jordan, the exercise physiologist who came up with the 7-minute workout, told Business Insider.
His insight is bolstered by a new study published in January in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation that found that the best results for heart health were gleaned when participants worked out 4-5 times a week.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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