With an array of information available on the internet and in the media, finding reliable sources can be challenging. Many of our beliefs are things we’ve picked up in our social circles, on the TV or in other media outlets through the years. However, many of these are false beliefs which could be holding us back, or in some cases harming us.

Sweating means you worked harder.
You look across the gym and catch a glimpse of the guy sweating profusely. You think “wow, he must be working so hard.” Maybe he is, but perhaps he’s not!

Many reasons impact when and how much we sweat. The body produces sweat as a means of cooling us down. The greater our fitness level, the more sweat we tend to produce. This means we’re better able to regulate our temperature, resulting in better endurance. Also, men usually sweat more than women due to their larger body mass.

In addition, higher humidity means less absorption of surface sweat! So if you’re training in a hot and humid climate, this could increase the amount you sweat. Keep yourself cool and dry and be sure to wear breathable clothing while you train.  

Focusing on a specific area rather than the overall fat loss will help you reduce more fat in that spot.
It's typical for each of us to have a stubborn area or body part that we remain hyper-focused on. We may think that doing targeted exercises will help reduce the fat we store in this specific area. However, it’s unlikely we can dictate where we lose fat first. This is different for each of us. But, instead of wasting your time focusing on smashing one body part in hopes you’ll magically transform it, continue to focus on eating well, training hard and being kind to yourself. Then you will see the overall results you are wanting.

Your workout didn’t count if you don’t feel ruined/destroyed.
We often associate a good workout with the feeling of exhaustion. Anything less, we assume our efforts didn’t count, and we must not have worked hard. However, this is not the case nor is it necessary. Different exercises affect the body in different ways. Pushing ourselves past our fatigue point too often will likely cause lousy form, injuries and/or losing motivation to continue to train.

Progress is the goal whether it be with our fitness, technique or how we feel. If we focus our efforts on this we help ensure we’re able to maintain interest long term.

With hundreds of different myths out there, it can be hard to know the difference between fact and fiction. We’d love to hear some of the common myths you’ve busted by sharing your thoughts in the comments below!