Summertime is right around the corner, and it might be a good idea to sift through some fitness folklore before heading to the gym to prep your beach-ready body.
Leah Dupuie, coordinator for fitness, strength and conditioning at RecSports, deciphers fact from fiction and offers up some advice for the proper workout.
Myth: You’ll burn more fat if you exercise longer at a lower intensity.
Truth: High-intensity exercise can be hard to sustain for long periods, even though it does burn more calories than low-intensity workouts.
“Regular physical activity and a healthy diet will lead to a body composition that fits each individual’s body frame. (The American College of Sports Medicine) recommends 150 minutes of physical activity a week which can include a longer duration at a lower intensity (55-65% of maximum heart rate) or a shorter duration at a higher intensity (85% of maximum heart rate),” Dupuie wrote in an email.
Myth: You should stretch before a workout.
Truth: It is more effective to stretch after a workout when your joints and muscles are still warm, according to an article by the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Although stretching before a workout does little to prep your body for exercise, stretching afterward does more to maintain flexibility, reduce muscle tension and improve circulation. And while you’re doing it, remember to take long, deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.
Myth: Incorporating a sports drink or protein shake in a workout regimen gives better results.
Truth: Those might be useful in emergencies, but your best protein source is from real food. Studies have been inconsistent regarding high levels of post-workout protein intake with supplements, according to an article by Men’s Health.
“Protein shakes and supplements are not regulated by the FDA and are something to be cautious of as their list of ingredients may not always be factual and the ‘proprietary blend’ that is listed could encompass anything. Whole, natural foods provide the nutrition that most individuals need on a daily basis,” Dupuie wrote.
Myth: Laughter is a form of exercise.
Truth: A 2012 Oxford University study showed similarity between laughter and working out in terms of endorphins released during both activities.
Long story short, laughing and exercising both help to release endorphins and boost your mood, but unfortunately the two aren’t interchangeable.
“Laughter can certainly elicit a hormone response similar to the benefits of exercise. But if our goal is achieving higher VO2, becoming better at a sport or increasing our 1 repetition maximum, laughter will probably not be in the specific program design,” Dupuie wrote.
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 4/17/2014 under the headline "Get the facts before starting your summer beach body workout"]
