Last Updated on November 29, 2017 by Michael Brockbank
The Internet is full of information. Unfortunately, not all of it is based in fact. It’s easy to get sucked into an article that is well-written even if it’s utter nonsense. When it comes to your health, you can’t really afford to put blind faith into various fitness beliefs of others.
Why Some Fitness Beliefs Are Bad
I’m not saying that believing in some things is necessarily bad. However, putting absolute blind trust behind something often leads to bigger complications. This is especially true when dealing with your health.
With that being said, here are some fitness beliefs you should scrap altogether. It may greatly alter your perception and success of being healthy and fit.
1. You Need Expensive Equipment in the Home
Don’t get me wrong, there are some machines out there I wouldn’t mind having. However, they are often an unnecessary purchase depending on your goals. If you just want to lose weight, you don’t need them.
Of all the people I’ve personally seen with exercise equipment in the home, none of them are used regularly. Usually, this is because people will get bored with it after about six months and it winds up collecting dust in the corner.
One of the best ways to promote health and fitness in your life is by keeping active. Don’t view house cleaning as a chore, but as a way to exercise. Walk around the neighborhood more often. The longer you keep yourself moving, the more calories you’ll burn.
2. You Need Gear for Yoga
Manufacturers make people believe they can only achieve the best yoga experience by using the best gear. Mats, clothes, rubber blocks and more fill the shelf at Walmart preying on your fitness beliefs. In reality, none of it is needed.
The only thing I have pertaining to yoga is a rubber mat. This is because at one point my floor was cement, and the padding helped in workout routines. Today, I rarely use it because I strike a pose on a carpeted and padded floor.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve included more yoga into my exercise routines. Personally, I like the idea of being more flexible and less rigid. Plus, I find it to be helpful when trying to get comfortable at night to sleep.
3. You Can Lose Weight by Doing “X” Diet
The Internet is full of diet plans that promise you’ll lose weight and be more healthy. Unfortunately, not everyone will have the same experience. That’s because everyone’s physiology is different. What works for one person, may not work for another.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing a diet is how your perception of it will alter the outcome. If you don’t think it’ll work, it most likely will not. If you’re on a restrictive diet that you hate, there is also a greater chance you’ll cheat.
Find a diet plan that works best for you, not someone else. For me, I like the idea of enjoying any food I want and still lose weight. This is because I monitor food portions and focus on increasing activity.
4. You Have a Finite Amount of Energy
Many people refuse to put much effort into fitness because they believe they only have a certain amount of energy throughout their life. And like all misguided fitness beliefs, there is no science to support this claim.
However, there is science to support how certain foods increase the energy level in individuals. For example, I know I feel exhilarated and energized if I eat proteins in the morning such as eggs and sausage.
Unfortunately, people like Donald Trump are in a position to influence health and fitness beliefs of others. He believes people are born with a finite amount of energy like a battery.
Luckily, most people take statements like this with a grain of salt. But what about those who have blind trust in a charismatic figure?
5. Organic is the Only Way to Live
Now, there are some organic products that I can say without a doubt are better than traditional goods. For instance, I can smell and taste the difference in some types of organic onions. However, not all organic products make me feel better than others.
For the most part, the only real difference I experience in organic products is the price tag. I don’t feel better physically or mentally after eating organic foods for over a month, but I definitely had less money.
I’m not saying that all organic products are crap. I’m sure many of you adapt well to the experience. Unfortunately, I am simply not one to really notice the difference…and I was looking while living in Los Angeles.
Could you tell the difference in a blind taste test? I know I wouldn’t be able to in most cases.
I’ll buy a few organic items because of the taste, but I surely would not dump all of my grocery budget into them.
6. Dietary Supplements Are a Blessing
I have yet to come across a diet pill that works on its own as advertised. First off, all of them have a disclaimer that you should take the pill while eating a proper diet while exercising. If I had a proper diet and exercise, I wouldn’t need the pill.
I’m sure there are a few on the market that have some nutritional value. The one’s I’ve come across do, indeed, have a large number of vitamins and minerals to promote health and fitness beliefs. However, you shouldn’t put all of your faith in the claims of a label.
This is why I break down the elements that are in products when trying them. For instance, I went through the Emerge Energy Drink Mix and found as much science to back up the claims of the product as possible. This is aside from the fact it actually made me feel better and more energized.
Do some research on the ingredients of any product.
7. Fitness Bloggers are Experts
I know…shooting myself in the foot here. However, fitness bloggers are not usually experts in their field. While some of them do move on to get degrees in nutrition and such, not all of them do.
Many fitness bloggers put their own fitness beliefs out on the Internet without scientific evidence to support the claims. For example, Australian fitness blogger, Olivia Budgen, believes cancer is a good thing and is your body’s natural defense against something worse.
Yes…you heard that right.
My fitness beliefs are more driven by facts and personal experience. I try to support all my claims with science and case studies while explaining how everyone has a different physiology.
Still, you shouldn’t follow my advise blindly. Learn more about yourself and what works for you.
Discover for Yourself
I rarely take anyone’s word for it when they try to express facts to me. I always take to the Internet and traditional books to back up their claims. This is partly because I relish knowledge in any form. You don’t have to be encyclopedia of information, but it helps to scrutinize snippets of fitness beliefs just to make sure you will benefit.
Always search for facts yourself.