This may feel like nothing, but at the end of the year you will have been exercising for an extra 78 hours a year -- over three days. Small things make a big difference. Deprivation, starvation and fad diets are not sustainable long-term and can result in weight gain.

Need nutrition help? Here's a library of diet and nutrition tips and information, and check in with an accredited nutritionist or dietitian. Instead of focusing on just intense exercise or one diet, shift your perspective and look at your lifestyle as a whole.

How's your sleep? What's your relationship with food? Are you managing stress? Are you moving every day? So many people looking to lose weight neglect this and find they spend years in a bad cycle of restricting and bingeing, thinking that something is wrong with them," Bingley-Pullin added.

A healthy relationship with food means understanding which foods nourish you and make you feel best, not feeling stressed or out of control around food, and knowing that you can enjoy all foods as part of a healthy diet. The healthiest communities in the world are active throughout the day doing meaningful, incidental exercise like walking to a friend's place, gardening or kneading bread.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the shops instead of driving. Dust off the push bike and ride to work.

You will be surprised at how soon this extra energy burned leads to results," Lucas said. Click below to subscribe to the Refresh podcast by HuffPost Australia on iTunes. Skip to Main Content Main Menu U.

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Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in Here are eight diet and exercise myths which health experts wish didn't exist. Rosette Jordaan. Mikolette via Getty Images. After all, our weight comes down to 80 percent diet and just 20 percent exercise.

Myth: you need to cut out food groups to lose weight. As Bingley-Pullin explained, figure out and know your reason "why". vgajic via Getty Images. Getty Images. Squaredpixels via Getty Images. However, fat and muscles are two different tissue types and one cannot be converted to the other.

Considerable muscle tone is not a normal state of being for the body, which is why it is so hard to maintain. You may feel as though you look less toned, which you equate to gaining fat, but this is not the case. If you are recovering from an injury, or illness, be kind to yourself and realise that you are worth SO much more than what your body looks like.

Fitness myth 4: Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky So many females worry that if they pick up a dumbbell they will turn into the incredible hulk. Strength training should be included in your routine 2 — 3 times per week as it has many benefits. The purpose of sweating is to help regulate body temperature and the amount you sweat is highly individual.

Interestingly, the fitter you become, the more you tend to sweat. Your body becomes a more efficient cooling system, allowing you to exercise for longer. The thing is that most of us require some level of carbohydrates to function at our best.

They help us think, move, breathe and enjoy life. The truth is going too low carb for too long can have disastrous effects — especially for those of us who work out. Doing intense or regular exercise while drastically reducing carbs from starchy vegetables, fruit, or grains can lead to:.

This essentially means your metabolism might slow down, cortisol levels will spike which nobody wants! Sounds fun right! Please be sensible with your carb intake and eat enough to support your active lifestyle, nourish the good bacteria in your gut, and keep your hormone levels happy.

Quality eating should be healthy, pleasurable, and sustainable — not restrictive. All foods fit within a healthy diet, and when we give ourselves unconditional permission to eat we generally get the right mix of fresh food as well as the foods that satisfy our soul.

Your body is constantly breaking down and removing unwanted substances from the body through its own elegantly designed system for removing toxins—namely, the liver, kidneys and spleen. To read more about how to support the natural process of detoxification click here.

Maybe not. Plus those powders can be mighty expensive! Some good alternatives include chocolate milk, eggs on toast, or salmon sushi. Diet myth You Should Follow a Meal Plan You Found On The Internet, In A Magazine, Or On Instagram. I want a plan. Just tell me what to eat, when to eat it, and the EXACT portions!

Unfortunately, when we try to follow rigid prescriptions like this, lots can and often does go wrong.

Or you start missing out on key nutrients.

The 'no pain, no gain' myth sets up unhealthy expectations of what our workouts need to be to see results, and if you push too hard you can end up injured or give up on exercise altogether.

It's a tempting situation: you've worked out hard and reward yourself with a pizza because "the calories won't count". Unfortunately, you can't outrun a bad diet.

However, if weight loss is a goal, this belief will not support your weight loss goals because, unless you are an athlete, it is unlikely your workout burns an excessive amount of energy," Bingley-Pullin explained. However, running for an extra 20 minutes to attempt to outrun a doughnut doesn't teach us good eating habits," nutritionist Fiona Tuck said.

One fear many women have is becoming "bulky" from lifting weights. However, resistance training results in lean muscle mass and increased metabolism.

Lifting weights will help women get lean," Lucas told HuffPost Australia. Whether it's dairy, gluten or fruit, cutting out any group of food without medical supervision is not recommended. By cutting out food groups you can hinder your fat loss," Lucas said. Rather than go hard in terms of diet and exercise for just a few months at a time, organise a nutrition and fitness plan which you can follow for the long-term.

Short-term fixes are not my thing. They don't last. You need to think, 'could I stick to this for the rest of my life? Get in it for the long game. Weight loss requires commitment and usually an overhaul of your diet, routine and mindset," Bingley-Pullin said.

Cutting something small from your diet or adding some extra movement to your day can make a massive impact over a decent amount of time," Feather said.

Three coffees a day with one sugar in equals 5. Five-and-a-half bags of sugar a year less is going to make a big difference. This may feel like nothing, but at the end of the year you will have been exercising for an extra 78 hours a year -- over three days. Small things make a big difference.

Deprivation, starvation and fad diets are not sustainable long-term and can result in weight gain. Need nutrition help? Here's a library of diet and nutrition tips and information, and check in with an accredited nutritionist or dietitian.

Instead of focusing on just intense exercise or one diet, shift your perspective and look at your lifestyle as a whole. How's your sleep? What's your relationship with food?

Are you managing stress? Are you moving every day? So many people looking to lose weight neglect this and find they spend years in a bad cycle of restricting and bingeing, thinking that something is wrong with them," Bingley-Pullin added.

A healthy relationship with food means understanding which foods nourish you and make you feel best, not feeling stressed or out of control around food, and knowing that you can enjoy all foods as part of a healthy diet. The healthiest communities in the world are active throughout the day doing meaningful, incidental exercise like walking to a friend's place, gardening or kneading bread.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the shops instead of driving. Dust off the push bike and ride to work. You will be surprised at how soon this extra energy burned leads to results," Lucas said.

Click below to subscribe to the Refresh podcast by HuffPost Australia on iTunes. Skip to Main Content Main Menu U. News U. News World News Business Environment Health Social Justice Crime. TIP: Before you decide to avoid a whole food group, talk with your health care professional if you believe you have problems after you consume foods or drinks with wheat, barley, or rye.

Fat provides essential nutrients and should be an important part of a healthy eating plan. If you are trying to lose weight, consider eating small amounts of food with healthy fats, such as avocados, olives, or nuts.

You also could replace whole-fat cheese or milk with lower-fat versions. Read about food portions and how much food is enough for you. TIP: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — recommend consuming less than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats.

Try cutting back on solid-fat foods. Use olive oil instead of butter in cooking. Fact: Dairy products are an important food group because they have protein your body needs to build muscles and help organs work well, and calcium to strengthen bones.

Dairy products made from fat-free or low-fat milk have fewer calories than dairy products made from whole milk. Learn more about the dairy group. TIP: Adults should have 3 servings a day of fat-free or low-fat dairy products, including milk or milk products such as yogurt and cheese, or fortified soy beverages, as part of a healthy eating plan.

Fact: Some research shows that a healthy vegetarian eating plan, or one made up of foods that come mostly from plants , may be linked to lower levels of obesity , lower blood pressure, and a reduced risk of heart disease.

But going vegetarian will only lead to weight loss if you reduce the total number of calories you take in.

Some vegetarians may make food choices that could lead to weight gain, such as eating a lot of food high in sugar, fats, and calories. Eating small amounts of lean meats can also be part of a healthy plan to lose or maintain weight.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — have more information about including meat as part of a healthy eating plan. TIP: If you choose to follow a vegetarian eating plan, be sure you get enough of the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.

Read Healthy Eating Tips for Vegetarians for more information. An example of moderate-intensity activity is brisk walking. You can spread these sessions out over the week and even do short, minute spurts of activity 3 times a day on 5 or more days a week. TIP: Find ways to build short bursts of physical activity into your day.

Use stairs instead of an elevator or escalator. Get off the bus one stop early. Meet a friend for a walk, instead of a meal. Fact: Lifting weights or doing other activities 2 or 3 days a week that may help you build strong muscles, such as push-ups and some types of yoga, will not bulk you up.

Only intense strength training, along with certain genes , can build large muscles. Like other kinds of physical activity, muscle-strengthening activities will help improve your health and also may help you control your weight by increasing the amount of energy-burning muscle.

TIP: Using large rubber bands, or resistance bands, or doing sit-ups or household or yard chores that make you lift or dig, may help you build strong muscles.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIDDK and other components of the National Institutes of Health NIH conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions. Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease.

Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.

Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www. This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIDDK , part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public.

Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts. The NIDDK would like to thank: Dr.

That's entirely based on your form and movements during a workout. I recommend that people use functional, dynamic stretches like lunges and leg swings to help muscle movement during workouts.

Many people focus on the number on the scale, but it is not the best representation of body changes. The number on the scale is a factor of many things such as how much water you've drank, what you ate and what time you're weighing in.

Often when a person loses a significant amount of weight, the number on the scale goes up because of building muscle from exercise. If you want to accurately track your weight loss and muscle development, I recommend recording measurements of arms, waist and thighs. And if you're going to use the scale, weigh in at the same time every day.

Some people depend on the treadmill to tell them an exact number of calories burned during a workout. Many factors determine how many calories your body will burn, including your sex, age and current weight. Some machines allow you to enter personalized data in one or two of these factors but rarely all three.

Abdominal workouts are great for developing core muscles because they benefit your body in many ways, such as improving your balance and stability.

However, a person's overall body fat prevent abs from being seen. While possible, this requires strict dedication to eating a healthy diet and exercise. Supplements and protein shakes are not necessary. The benefits you reap from them can come from natural and direct food sources, such as chocolate milk, turkey and a scoop of peanut butter.

It's important to remember that nutrition companies are out to make money. So they'll sell their product by convincing consumers it's the only product that provides what they need before, during or after a workout.

The truth is we don't need expensive shakes to get proper nutrients as we can get those directly from less expensive food sources. If you consume protein-rich foods after a workout, do so within 30 minutes. That's when your muscles absorb that energy, as they're still burning and working.

Sweating is an inaccurate way to measure how hard you've worked out. Sweating shouldn't be a gauge of how hard you're working during a workout. Many factors go into the amount a person sweats, such as the temperature, humidity and hydration levels. Your body just could be efficient at cooling itself, as well.

While feeling uncomfortable during a workout is normal, feeling pain is not. Many athletes live by the "no pain, no gain" motto, but pain is the way your body tells you that something is wrong.

If you start to feel pain during a workout, stop immediately. If you continue to push through it, you could end up with a serious injury.

David Webster is a licensed athletic trainer in Sports Medicine in Eau Claire , Wisconsin. Skip to main content. Posted By. David Webster, L. Sports Medicine. Want to shape your body — a perkier butt, more toned arms etc?

It is scientifically proven that eating less calories than you burn can lead to fat and weight loss. However, this is just one side of the story. Instead of overtly focusing on the calorie count, look at the quality of food you put in your body.

Try to have a balanced meal with the right amount of good quality protein, carbs, vegetables and fruits. Swap out sugar-loaded, processed and fatty foods for healthier alternatives. If you need some advice on portion control, you can refer to this article here for some tips!

It helps to strengthen your muscles and bones, improve flexibility, and even improve your mood and reduce stress. For quick weight loss, cutting down on carbs seems like the go-to solution for many.

But the initial weight loss is mostly water weight, and not fat loss. Swap out sugary and refined carbs such as pastries, chips, cookies, breakfast cereals, pasta, and white bread for complex carbs including whole grains, vegetables, fresh fruits, and beans.

Not only will you feel fuller for longer periods — and hence eating less calories, cutting out refined carbs and sugar can also clear you of brain fog! We also house items ranging from supplements and lifestyle and fitness products to keep you active and healthy — all in one place on our in-app wellness Marketplace.

This information may help you make changes in your daily eating and physical activity habits so that you improve your well-being and reach or maintain a healthy weight. Small amounts of your favorite high-calorie foods may be part of your weight-loss plan.

Just remember to keep track of the total calories you take in. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in through food and beverages. TIP: Limiting foods that are high in calories may help you lose weight. Myth: Grain products such as bread, pasta, and rice are fattening. You should avoid them when trying to lose weight.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — recommend consuming grains as part of a healthy eating plan. At least half of the grains you eat should be whole grains.

Examples of whole grains include brown rice and whole-wheat bread, cereal, and pasta. Whole grains provide iron, fiber , and other important nutrients. TIP: Try to replace refined or white bread with whole-wheat bread and refined pasta with whole-wheat pasta.

Or add whole grains to mixed dishes, such as brown instead of white rice to stir fry. Check out ChooseMyPlate for more tips to help you add whole grains to your eating plan. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye grains. A health care professional is likely to prescribe a gluten-free eating plan to treat people who have celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten.

A gluten-free diet is not a weight-loss diet and is not intended to help you lose weight. TIP: Before you decide to avoid a whole food group, talk with your health care professional if you believe you have problems after you consume foods or drinks with wheat, barley, or rye.

Fat provides essential nutrients and should be an important part of a healthy eating plan. If you are trying to lose weight, consider eating small amounts of food with healthy fats, such as avocados, olives, or nuts. You also could replace whole-fat cheese or milk with lower-fat versions. Read about food portions and how much food is enough for you.

TIP: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — recommend consuming less than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats. Try cutting back on solid-fat foods. Use olive oil instead of butter in cooking. Fact: Dairy products are an important food group because they have protein your body needs to build muscles and help organs work well, and calcium to strengthen bones.

Dairy products made from fat-free or low-fat milk have fewer calories than dairy products made from whole milk. Learn more about the dairy group. TIP: Adults should have 3 servings a day of fat-free or low-fat dairy products, including milk or milk products such as yogurt and cheese, or fortified soy beverages, as part of a healthy eating plan.

Fact: Some research shows that a healthy vegetarian eating plan, or one made up of foods that come mostly from plants , may be linked to lower levels of obesity , lower blood pressure, and a reduced risk of heart disease.

But going vegetarian will only lead to weight loss if you reduce the total number of calories you take in. Some vegetarians may make food choices that could lead to weight gain, such as eating a lot of food high in sugar, fats, and calories.

Eating small amounts of lean meats can also be part of a healthy plan to lose or maintain weight. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, — have more information about including meat as part of a healthy eating plan.

TIP: If you choose to follow a vegetarian eating plan, be sure you get enough of the nutrients your body needs to be healthy. Read Healthy Eating Tips for Vegetarians for more information. An example of moderate-intensity activity is brisk walking.

You can spread these sessions out over the week and even do short, minute spurts of activity 3 times a day on 5 or more days a week. TIP: Find ways to build short bursts of physical activity into your day. Like we said earlier, your diet plays a large role in weight loss, it works with your exercising to really make a difference.

Believe it or not, lifting weights can also help you lose weight!! It also plays a large part when you are trying to gain weight or muscle.

Eating high protein foods can help aid in this process. Things can get confusing and overwhelming when you start to believe some of these myths.

If you ever have any questions about things you hear online or from a friend, shoot us a DM or contact us on our website! We will be happy to clear things up for you! Booty Lab by Becca Total Body Workout The Booty Lab by Becca app is back! We are excited to get back into it and bring you our beloved virtual workouts through the app!

These workouts will follow along with the current workouts in the Booty Lab studio. Progressive Overload with Squats We are back with another progressive overload blog! This time we are progressively overloading SQUATS!! One of our favorites, and a cornerstone for any good booty program.

This is a movement we do daily at Booty Lab and it is a great Workouts for the Holiday Season The holiday season is a busy time full of events, parties and celebrations! When juggling so many things at once, it can be harder to get a workout in.

Luckily, we have gathered some of our favorite workouts throughout the years to help Myth 1: Spot Reduction Genetics dictates where you lose and gain weight. Myth 2: Lifting Heavy Makes You Bulky The bigger the weights means the bigger the muscles Nutrition also plays a role here! Try our Program.