Healthy living myths debunked: exercise

Congratulations! You have committed to a healthy lifestyle.

Your refrigerator and pantry are stocked with smart, good-for-you food options and you have debunked the diet myths.

The next step is exercise because we all know that healthy lifestyles require a combination of balanced diet and regular physical activity. But how do you make the most of your physical fitness regimen?

Do you exercise at night or in the morning? Stick to one routine or mix it up? There is a lot of information out there and you can't separate fact from fiction.

Fortunately, the scientific experts at Weight Watchers have done the research for you. Allan Bolten, scientific advisor for Weight Watchers Australasia, compiled this list of exercise myths.

1. Myth  Performing sit-ups gets rid of fat around the stomach: Spot reduction doesn't work. Exercising specific muscle groups in particular parts of the body doesn't burn fat primarily from that area.
2. Myth Muscle turns to fat when you stop exercising: Muscle and fat are completely different tissues that are not interchangeable. Instead, there are two key reasons why people perceive that muscle turns to fat when they stop exercising.Muscle goes from firm to floppy when it's not used. It also decreases in size, hence the saying, use it or lose it.
3. Myth You have to exercise for 20 minutes in order to burn fat: Wrong! Each one of us has a different point where our bodies start burning fat. This is partly determined by genetics but mostly by fitness level, time and intensity of the workout. What matters at the end of the day is that exercising allows you to burn calories and if you burn more calories than you take in you will lose weight. Any physical activity has an impact on burning calories so every time you move, it's worth it.
4. Myth Weight training impedes weight loss: Weight training is a great add-on to cardiovascular exercise because it helps maintain or even increase muscle mass, boost metabolism and reduce fat. After age 45, the average person loses about 10 percent of their muscle mass each decade. This is primarily due to people becoming more sedentary with age and therefore using their muscles less leading to loss of muscle mass.
5. Myth If you exercise before breakfast you burn more fat: There is a little evidence to support this theory. According to the updated physical activity guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), healthy adults under age 65 need 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous intensity activty three days a week to stay healthy and reduce risk of chronic disease, regardless of the time of day that you exercise.
6. Myth Exercising after meals is better than before: There isn't a right or wrong answer here. Exercising before or after meals is OK; the main thing to consider is that you do not skip meals and that you leave enough time for digestion before your workout. For a large meal this could mean about 3-4 hours, and for a small meal about 2-3 hours. However, some people can snack right before a workout as well, so it really depends on the individual.
7. Myth People who are very overweight should avoid exercise: Wrong! Just start out easy. First, concentrate on increasing daily activity. Use a pedometer to measure your average daily step count and increase from there. Record the daily steps you take for seven consecutive days then calculate the average. Use the average as a baseline and gradually increase your daily step goals of around 5 to 10 percent per week.For example, if 3,000 steps is your current daily step average, the goal for next week will be 3,300 steps per day, and 3,630 per day the following week.

So get moving, anytime and anywhere. Combined with your healthy diet, you should start feeling better quickly. Forget about the scale for awhile and before you know it, those numbers will start looking better, too. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen, especially if you have been sendentary for awhile.

For more information on Weight Watchers, click here.  You can also read Allan's myths in greater detail here. To find a location in your community, click here. Huntsville has several locations, including 8404 South Memorial Parkway.