3 Women’s Fitness Myths Busted – There are lots of myths within the fitness industry, but nowhere is there more misleading information than when it comes to the subject of female health. With so much conflicting information out there, it can be difficult to know exactly what to believe.
We’ve listed three common women’s fitness misconceptions and explained why you shouldn’t listen to them.
1. Your fitness levels don’t vary
Do you ever find that some days you seem to tire more than usual? You might think that your fitness journey isn’t going anywhere or even that you’re regressing, but don’t fret! How much sleep you’ve had, doing too much activity the day before, and even your general mood can all impact your workouts.
One major factor influencing female athletic performance is the effect of the menstrual cycle. Many women find that their performance levels drop just before or during their period. They might feel more pain, they might be bloated, or they might just feel generally low and lackluster. If this happens to you, then you can blame premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The symptoms associated with PMS are often down to lower levels of the hormone progesterone. Supplementing with progesterone is a good idea if you suffer from PMS. Hormones And You produce a natural progesterone cream that can help you feel great again.
Thankfully, more female athletes have been speaking out publicly about the effects that their periods have on their athletic performance. This should hopefully normalise PMS and make women realise that it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
2. You need lots of cardio for fat loss
Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to spend hours pounding away on the treadmill to lose weight. While cardio exercise is undoubtedly great for fat loss, it’s not the be-all and end-all of getting fit. In fact, too much cardio can be detrimental as it can result in you losing muscle tissue. This can lead to you becoming so-called‘skinny fat’, which puts you at a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. That is why it’s so important that you focus your workouts just as much – if not more – on resistance training, which brings us to our next point …
3. Lifting weights makes you bulky
Despite what you might have been led to believe, lifting weights will not bulk you up. In fact, the opposite is more likely to occur. If you start lifting weights, you’ll lose fat, gain lean muscle, and improve your overall body composition – in simple terms, you’ll look more toned.
Not only that but resistance training is associated with a lower risk of developing osteoporosis, which women are particularly vulnerable to. Furthermore, weightlifting can speed up your metabolism. Having more muscle requires more energy, therefore your body will burn more calories while at rest.
These incredible benefits mean that more women than ever before are waking up to the idea of strength training. Unlike males, who tend to have higher levels of testosterone, the female body is not designed to gain huge amounts of bulging muscle. You won’t turn into Arnie, so go ahead and get lifting!
Conclusion
Next time you find yourself lacking energy during your workout, try to be easier on yourself. You might just need a rest. Also, don’t be too hard on yourself for not doing lots of cardio – resistance training is just as important, if not more.
Poppy Watt