FYI - Article on exercise myths

[Paula H]

An article from Australian consumer magazine Choice (http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=105736&catId=100563&tid=100008&p=1&title=Exercise+myths) - some interesting information in there.

My hopes that sitting on the couch will burn off chocolate seem to be growing dimmer...

[wallycat]

EXcellent link.
Thanks.

As I am getting older I keep wondering if yoga alone (weight bearing like back bends, crane, etc.) are enough to maintain muscle and have less injury risk.
The studies out there are conflicting.

[Terri_A]

Paula,

Thanks for posting this. It's timely as I start working with a trainer this week in an effort to support my weight loss a bit. I always thought that 3 days a week of exercise would be plenty...maybe I need to just start thinking of it as a daily event!

[Paula H]

Paula,

Thanks for posting this. It's timely as I start working with a trainer this week in an effort to support my weight loss a bit. I always thought that 3 days a week of exercise would be plenty...maybe I need to just start thinking of it as a daily event!

I always hoped that 3 days a week would be enough - but in the last couple of years I've come to realise that it really just isn't going to do the trick.

Good luck with the trainer!

[Kathy B]

Paula, I could not get the link to work. Could you briefly summarize? I am interested to hear what the findings were.

[mightyh]

I was really taken by the thought of net calories burned v. gross calories burned. For example, if your exercise of choice burns 500 calories an hour, you should really compare it to your "resting" rate of calorie burn (say 140) and, after an hour of exercising, you would really have only burned 360 more than you would have sitting on the couch....

It's a bit depressing, but it makes it all the more important to get out there and exercise more!

[lisas3575]

Paula, I could not get the link to work. Could you briefly summarize? I am interested to hear what the findings were.

Wonder why the link isn't working for you? Here's the title page:

There are many myths about exercise — fictions which are endlessly perpetuated and validated through sheer repetition. And it’s not just the internet and other media. Even fitness professionals get it wrong sometimes.

Many of the misconceptions about exercise relate to how well it burns fat and calories, and how much. This leads some people to eat more than they should, relative to the amount of total activity they do each day, which in turn causes them to gain weight (or not lose as much as they’d like).

In this report we take a look at the 10 most common exercise myths, and give you the real facts.

* "Exercising three times a week is enough."
* "Walking burns 300 calories an hour, so if I walk for an hour I’ll burn off the 300 calorie chocolate bar I ate."
* "No pain, no gain."
* "Low-intensity exercise burns more fat."
* "Walking one kilometre burns the same calories as running one kilometre.
* "Swimming isn’t a good way to lose weight."
* "Your metabolism increases after exercise, so you burn more calories even though you’ve stopped exercising."
* "You burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach."
* "You should stretch before exercising."
* "I’m slim and healthy, I don’t need to exercise."

[Laura]

Somewhat related; I read that women in their 40's need to get 200 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a week and strength train at least 2x a week on all major muscle groups. That is a fair amount of exercise if you ask me. I am lucky when I do hit both marks.

[Kathy B]

Thanks for posting that, Lisa. This morning it works, although I tried several times last night without success....maybe a problem with their site.

Anyway, thanks to you, too Paula. Interesting reading. Some of it I had heard, but there is definitely some new info as well. Especially about the net calories burned vs. the gross number. Never thought about that before.

I am coming to the opinion that as I get older, the "use it or lose it" theory is probably more and more true! I know people in their 70's who seem very elderly and get around with difficulty....and then their are those like the 80-something year old woman who walked in the Mother's Day 5K this year. Truly inspirational! I know which one I want to be like. :)