Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

 Never eat after 7 p.m. 

Lifting weights makes women bulky. 

All true? 

HA!

All myths – persistent suckers that have been around for ages. Let’s have a little fun and break ‘em down. 

1.    Where did this one come from about breakfast being so important? Maybe back in the farming culture of previous centuries? At least then, people needed a lot of fuel to get them through physically demanding mornings. But nowadays, it’s more important to make smart food choices, pay attention to what you’re eating, and listen to your body than to choke down a big plate of chow with the sunrise.

2.    There’s nothing magic about the clock striking 7. Some studies suggest eating a lot right before bed can contribute to weight gain. And the intermittent fasting trend calls for a period of abstinence from food, often starting after the evening meal. There’s different research to support every ideology, but at the end of the day, how late you eat doesn’t matter as long as you’re not in caloric excess.

3.    “Lifting weights makes women bulky” is just crazy talk. If you’ve ever tried to gain muscle mass, then you know it takes a lot of time and effort, plus a great deal of protein, to get “bulky.” Weightlifting helps everyone stay toned and strong, which is good for metabolism, weight control, posture, and the ongoing ability to carry out daily functions.

4.    If you want to lose weight, then you have to do all cardio, all the time. ABSOLUTELY WRONG! In fact, resistance training and other strength training modalities (like Pilates) are often more helpful to getting rid of fat and staying strong.

5.    If you want to lose weight, then you have to starve yourself. Actually, you need a caloric deficit, which just means that you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming – which just means you should exercise and eat right. Deprivation diets are frustrating, unrealistic and ineffective for long-term healthy weight management. 

Here are few more ridiculous myths. 

·     Cracking knuckles causes arthritis.

·     We need detox drinks and diets to clear our systems.

·     Crunches give you abs.

·     Vegan diets are low-cal. 

We could go on, but you get the point. Don’t believe everything you hear or read. When it comes to sustainable healthy habits, keep it simple and remember that if it sounds too good to be true – or just plain stupid – then it probably is!