Cardiovascular exercise and lifting weights are the go-to options for cutting body fat and gaining better muscular definition. However, many people take the wrong approach and end up wasting precious time and muscle too.
Here are 8 common myths surrounding exercising to cut body fat.
1. Lifting light weights and high reps gives you more definition
Definition comes from having low body fat, especially subcutaneous body fat, and the above will not achieve this.
If anything, lifting light weights for high reps is the opposite of what you should do.
2. Increasing the number of sets and reps and total workload
More is not always better. If you’re doing too much overall work when you’re eating less to lose fat, this will impair your recovery and ability to hold onto muscle.
3. Fasted cardio will burn more fat
Fasted cardio does burn more fat during the cardio, but the body compensates by burning less fat and more carbs later on in the day.
4. H.I.I.T. is best for burning fat
This is predicated on the fact that you have a higher calorie burn post exercise or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
5. You only start burning fat after 20 minutes of cardio
During the first 20 minutes of cardio, you’ll indeed burn more carbs and less fat but this doesn’t determine whether you lose fat or not. More importantly, it’s what you do 24/7 with your activity levels and diet that determine whether you will lose fat or not.
6. You have to do hours upon hours of cardio
In fact, you don’t have to do any cardio to lose fat. All you need to do is control your energy intake through your diet.
7. The more you sweat, the more fat you will lose
You may lose weight temporarily when you sweat but this is just water weight not fat. Sweating easily or a lot just means your body’s cooling system is in good working order.
8. You shouldn’t eat for at least 1 hour after cardio
Not eating for 1 hour of cardio isn’t going to change anything if you overeat the hour following that. What matters is what you do 24/7, 7 days a week.
