We all know there are certain weight loss myths that people still believe, whether it’s thinking a miracle diet will work or believing that fat-free means it’s free of calories (hint: not true!). Yet did you know that when it comes to fitness and exercise, there’s an abundance of misinformation out there? Here’s the top 10 myths about fitness and exercising you should know:

1. Just isolate your abs to get a six-pack. Working out one part of your body is not going to guarantee a six-pack. To get visibly toned abs, you need to reduce your overall body fat, which means a healthy workout routine that combines cardio with strength training.

2. Lifting weights makes you bulky. If you haven’t been strength training with weights because you think you’ll end up looking like a bodybuilder, think again. Strength training actually helps you lose weight faster and keep it off in the long run. Combine lifting weights with cardio exercises, and it’ll help you retain your muscles as you burn off fat.

3. If there’s no sweat during my workout, I’m not exercising hard enough. The amount of sweat you produce is based on way more than your exercise routine – your body temperature, genetics, even your clothes! Sweating is how your body cools off. Don’t focus on the sweat, but rather on the amount of physical activity you’re doing, such as talking walks every day.

4. No pain, no gain. Feeling sore the day after you work out is normal, but if you’ve developed a fitness routine, you should not feel like you can’t move your arms. Fitness should be fun, not painful! If your body hurts, stop and take a break.

5. You can turn fat into muscle. This is probably one of the BIGGEST lies about working out. Muscle and fat tissues are totally different parts of your body. It’s impossible to turn one into the other! And for the record, your muscle will never turn into fat. Muscle can atrophy and weaken, however, thereby reducing lean muscle mass.

6. Running on a treadmill is less stressful on your knees than pavement. Running is a great way to exercise, but it can impact your knees, no matter what kind of surface you run on. If you’re worried about causing stress to your knees, vary your workout. Mix it up by testing the elliptical machine, riding a bike, or going for a swim.

7. If I can’t work out often, there’s no point. Workouts don’t necessarily need to be intense to burn fat. Even moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Focus on doing something every day for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a 30-minute chunk of time to spare, break it up into three 10-minute segments. Get creative with your physical activity: go for a short walk at lunch, take the stairs instead of the elevator or tend to your garden.

8. If you exercise longer at a lower intensity, you will burn more fat. It’s not about the percentage of fat calories burned so much as it’s about the total calories burned during exercise. In other words, the faster you run, bike or swim, the more calories you burn per minute. This allows you to burn more total calories as opposed to just “fat calories.”

9. Once your body gets used to one type of exercise, you will burn fewer calories. Your body is still going to burn calories by jogging, swimming or cycling, no matter how many times you’ve done it before. Finding a workout you enjoy will help you stay motivated towards losing weight, so if all you like to do is run, then keep running! Of course, don’t be afraid to try new things, but the most important thing is that you stay physically active.

10. If I’m working out, I can eat what I want. Remember, just because you’re exercising regularly doesn’t mean you can stop watching what you eat. Stick to your diet plan, eat well and stay away from junk foods. To keep it simple, here are the top 5 foods to avoid while you losing weight. If you feel ravenous after a session on the treadmill, drink plenty of water and wait an hour to eat a healthy snack that’s acceptable within your calorie limit.

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For more information on how fitness and exercise really work to burn fat and calories:

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “Effects of exercise intensity on cardiovascular fitness, total body composition, and visceral adiposity of obese adolescents.”

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