Common Fitness Myths Debunked: Separating Fact from Fiction

In the fitness world, misinformation spreads faster than post-workout soreness. From social media influencers to well-meaning gym buddies, everyone seems to have advice—but not all of it is backed by science. These persistent myths can derail your progress, waste your time, and in some cases, even lead to injury.

I know how frustrating it can be to hear conflicting information on a range of fitness topics, so we want to help bring some light to all of that.

Let's cut through the noise and examine ten common fitness myths that just won't seem to die.

Weight Training Myths

Myth #1: Lifting weights makes women bulky

As trainers, this is something that we hear a lot. And while we empathize with the concern, we want to assure you that weight training is extremely beneficial to all.

The Reality: Women's hormonal makeup makes it more difficult to build large muscles. Women naturally have less testosterone than men, which is the primary hormone responsible for muscle growth. What weight training actually does for women is create lean, defined muscles while increasing strength and bone density.

The women you see with very large muscles are likely either genetically predisposed to more muscle growth or dedicated to specific training and nutrition protocols designed for competitive bodybuilding—it doesn't happen by accident!

Myth #2: You need to feel sore after every workout

It kinda makes sense that if you feel the physical impacts of your effort, it must be a good thing, right? 

The Reality: Muscle soreness (technically called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS) is not an indicator of workout effectiveness. While beginners often experience soreness as their bodies adapt to new stimulus, regular exercisers may feel little to no soreness despite having productive workouts.

Certain types of workouts and programs would create more soreness, especially with the traditional bodybuilding style routines. We spoke about the idea of working out smarter, not harder in a previous post.

Better indicators of an effective workout include:

• Improved performance over time

• Ability to lift heavier weights or complete more reps

• Better endurance

• Improved technique

Myth #3: More gym time equals better results

2-hour gym sessions, 6 days a week is not optimal if you want to succeed.

The Reality: Your muscles don't grow during workouts—they grow during recovery. Overtraining can lead to decreased performance, increased injury risk, and hormonal imbalances. For most people, 3-5 quality strength sessions per week are plenty, with adequate rest days built in. You could some progress with as little as 3 x 30-minute sessions per week.

Remember: consistency over months and years beats intensity over days and weeks.

Nutrition Myths

Myth #4: You need to eat immediately after working out

This has been around for a long time, and I believe it’s even what I was taught when first learning about nutrition. 

The Reality: The idea of a narrow 30-minute "anabolic window" has been stated as an oversimplification. While post-workout nutrition is important, research shows that total daily protein and calorie intake matter far more than precise timing for most recreational exercisers.

That said, if you're training fasted or it's been several hours since your last meal, having some protein and carbs within a couple of hours post-workout is a good practice—but there's no need to rush to your protein shake the second you rack the weights.

If you’re an advanced eater, professional athlete, bodybuilder, or someone who needs fine-tuning, it may help slightly. But for the average gym goer who is looking to be healthy and get in shape, it’s not a necessity. 

Myth #5: Carbs are the enemy

Fruit is a carb that grows naturally on the earth as a food source. Say no more. Honestly, the carbs being the enemy thing… that’s one of the biggest and recurring myths I have ever seen in the fitness industry.

Specifically, it’s often seen to be bad in the context of losing weight. We’ll get to the weight stuff shortly.

The Reality: Carbohydrates are your muscles' preferred energy source, especially during high-intensity exercise. Low-carb diets can work for some goals, but they often lead to decreased performance in the gym.

I’m not here to knock any type of diet, but I do want you to make choices based on your preferences, not some myth. 

Carbs are not bad, protein is not bad, and fat is not bad.

Read: 10 Smart Nutrition Habits for Busy Professionals

The type, timing, and amount of carbs should be tailored to your activity level:

• More active individuals generally benefit from more carbohydrates

• Complex carbs (whole grains, vegetables, legumes) provide sustained energy

• Simple carbs can be strategically used around workouts when quick energy is needed

Myth #6: Protein supplements are necessary for muscle growth

Protein is necessary for muscle growth, but does it need to be from a shake?

The Reality: While convenient, protein supplements are just that—supplements to a whole food diet. Research consistently shows that similar results can be achieved through protein-rich whole foods like lean meats, eggs, dairy, and plant-based protein sources.

For muscle maintenance and growth, aim for 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight daily, spread across meals—regardless of whether it comes from food or supplements. I often use 1g of protein per lb of body weight.

Protein supplements can be a powerful way to help you meet your daily needs, but they aren’t essential. They often come in a form that’s nearly 100% protein, meaning there aren’t many calories from carbs and fat. This makes it an easy way to bump up your protein intake without adding additional calories on top.

Cardio and Fat Loss Myths

Myth #7: Cardio is the best way to lose weight

You can lose weight by doing cardio, but is it the best method?

The Reality: While cardio burns calories during the activity itself, strength training creates a metabolic environment that increases calorie burn for hours afterward. Moreover, the muscle gained through resistance training increases your resting metabolic rate long-term.

The most effective approach for most people combines:

• Strength training to build and maintain muscle

• Some cardio for heart health and calorie expenditure

• Primarily focusing on nutrition for weight management

Myth #8: You can spot-reduce fat

I’m sorry to say this but… doing 1000 sit-ups every day won’t burn your belly fat away. That doesn’t mean these exercises are useless, but I want you to focus on what matters most.

The Reality: Despite the popularity of workouts promising to "blast belly fat" or "tone your arms," your body loses fat systematically, not from specific areas you target with exercise. Where you lose fat first is largely determined by genetics, gender, and age.

The most effective strategy for changing body composition is a combination of:

• Strength training to maintain or build muscle

• Modest caloric deficit through diet

• Patience and consistency (spot reduction may be a myth, but overall fat loss is very real!)

Exercise Form Myths

Myth #10: Progress only means lifting heavier weights

The Reality: If we only measured progress by how much weight we lift, we'd quickly reach a problem—as I often tell clients, "If you added weight every week, you'd run out of things to lift in a few months!"

True fitness progression is much more nuanced than simply increasing the load. Progressive overload—the principle of gradually increasing the stress placed on your body—can be achieved through multiple methods:

• Rep timing: Slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phase of movements or adding pauses at challenging positions increases time under tension without adding weight

• Volume adjustments: Increasing sets or reps with the same weight

• Rest period manipulation: Shortening rest periods between sets makes the same workout more challenging

• Exercise variations: Changing grip, stance, or angle can target muscles differently

• Advanced techniques: Incorporating supersets, drop sets, or giant sets increases workout density

• Improved form: Executing movements with better technique often engages muscles more effectively

• Enhanced mind-muscle connection: Greater focus and intention can increase muscle activation

Many experienced lifters maintain the same weights for years while continuing to see improvements by manipulating these other variables. This approach is often kinder to joints and more sustainable long term.

Progress should be measured holistically—improved endurance, better movement quality, enhanced recovery capacity, and even mental benefits are all valid indicators of fitness advancement.

The Takeaway

The fitness industry thrives on quick fixes and simple rules, but the human body is remarkably complex. What works best is usually:

• Finding evidence-based information from qualified sources

• Understanding principles rather than following rigid rules

• Listening to your body and tracking your results

• Being consistent with fundamentals rather than chasing trends

Next time you hear a definitive fitness claim, ask yourself: Is this backed by quality research? Does it make physiological sense? Or does it just make for a catchy social media post?

Remember, our trainers are always available to help separate fitness fact from fiction—just ask us about any concerns you have during your next visit!