Have you ever read an article or fact based around fitness and wondered how true it really is? We’ve unpicked some of the most common misconceptions and matched them up with the latest findings, so you can adopt science-backed healthy habits to set you up for smashing your fitness goals.

Morning workouts are best.

While working out in the morning offers many benefits, there are also many advantages that come from exercising later in the day – there is no evidence to show which is actually better. 

Australian researchers found that some inactive people who introduce exercise in the afternoon enjoy more significant health benefits than those who do morning workouts. But for the majority of us, the recommendation is to work-out whenever fits most conveniently with your busy schedule, as this will help with the consistency you are working out. 

Bryce Hastings, Les Mills Head of Research, says: “While there’s a chance your body will burn calories differently at different times of the day, these differences will be minimal compared to the benefit of exercising regularly. How much you benefit from exercise is closely linked to the amount of consistent physical activity you do.” So whether you are a morning bird or night owl, it really doesn’t matter as long as you are staying active.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is only for fit, young people.

HIIT is hard, fast and powerful, a style of training often favored by youthful exercisers and those who are super fit. However, that doesn’t mean exercisers of all ages and fitness levels can’t also benefit from the workout. A large study involving seniors doing different types of exercise found that those who did two HIIT workouts a week for five years had the most dramatic effect on quality of life and fitness levels. 

HIIT can also help make older exercisers younger! A comprehensive study of both athletes and sedentary men revealed that a man in his late 60s can cut his biological age by 20 years – simply by following a series of 20-minute HIIT cycle workouts.

Professional sports and fitness research scientist, Dr. Jinger Gottschall, does caution that, regardless of age, if  you’re totally new to exercise then jumping head-first into HIIT is almost definitely a bad idea. She recommends  first getting your body used to exercise, with 6-12 weeks of consistent moderate-intensity exercise including  strength, cardio and core/flexibility training each week. 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

We all know breakfast is branded as the ‘most important meal of the day’, but many people now choose to skip breakfast as fasting becomes more popular. While there’s little evidence to show the smartest approach, researchers have found those who eat breakfast are likely to consume more calories overall and have a greater body weight (although even these researchers say the findings should be reviewed with caution). Whether you eat breakfast or not it is your personal preference. However, one of the best arguments in favor of eating breakfast is that it's a good opportunity to fuel your body with nutritious food and get your brain going for the rest of the day.

Breakfast is the perfect chance to load up on fiber from whole grains like toast or cereal, and to sneak in some fruit or veggies. It’s also a great time to get your protein fix, whether it’s from eggs, yogurt, or a splash of milk. If you skip it, you’re missing out on a golden chance to fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to power through the day!

Women get big and bulky lifting weights.

Come on, it is not the first time we’ve heard this and it won’t be the last. “Women often have a misguided perception that strength training will make them look bulky. But it won’t!” says Erin Maw, Les Mills Presenter and creator of the Strength Development program. “When people have extreme gains and look remarkably muscly, it’s because they combined a number of factors; nutrition, supplements and really specific and strategic training. Strength training will make you strong, it will make you powerful, but resistance workouts alone won’t build a bulky body.” Research shows high repetition strength training generates a lactate response, a subsequent increase in growth hormone, and a long-term calorie burn effect that helps you build strength without bulk. Don’t let this stop you from powering through your fitness journey, you’ve got this!

10,000 steps a day is the optimal amount for good health.

There’s scant evidence to show whether 10,000 is the gold standard for steps, or simply blue-sky marketing thinking (this comes from a Japanese marketing campaign for the first commercial pedometer ‘Manpo-kei’ – translated in English as the 10,000 step meter)- it clearly worked as the tale is still around today! 

There are plenty of benefits linked to hitting the 10,000-step target, but there are also studies that show you can still benefit from doing much less. For example, taking 5,000 or more steps a day is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke than taking less than 5,000 steps. Bottom line – every step is a step in the right direction. If you struggle to get out and walk with your busy lifestyle, you could take a walk on the treadmill at the gym to get some of those steps in! 

Rest is always best when you’re sick

Australian Scientist Professor Rob Newton has spent years testing exercise prescriptions on the chronically ill and believes that exercise, not bed rest, is the answer. He says to be physically active on most days, if not every day. “Even if you're extremely unwell, if you adopt a ‘rest attitude’, you will only have a worse outcome. There is always some exercise you can do.” Whether that is getting our walking, going to the gym or even doing some exercise sitting down, you are helping yourself out if you can keep moving.

Exercise turns fat into muscle.

Most people, even 98% of health and fitness pros surveyed, aren’t sure what really happens when you "burn" fat. Some think fat cells magically turn into muscle, or that they exit the body through the colon. There's also a common belief that fat is turned into energy and lost as heat. The truth? Fat gets broken down into carbon dioxide and water, and most of it actually leaves your body when you exhale. 

A glass of wine a day is good for heart health.

Is it really though? In the past, the fact that French people have lower rates of heart disease than the US population has been pinned on their red wine intake (apparently researchers posited that modest amounts of alcohol could improve good  cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) levels!). But a more likely explanation is that the French are typically thinner, fitter and more active. With this in mind, we can’t say alcohol improves health, but perhaps if you lead a brilliantly healthy lifestyle then a little bit of wine won’t kill you. 

Resting always lessens feelings of stress and exhaustion.

Contrary to popular belief, taking time out on the sofa is not the best way to deal with signs of burnout, stress  and exhaustion. Sometimes it might be what you want but maybe not what you need. Researchers discovered that even mentally exhausted individuals experienced significant boosts in cognitive flexibility, mood, energy, self-perceived mental sharpness, and motivation after just one 30-minute cycling session. In fact, previous research has already pointed to aerobic exercise as the ultimate mood lifter. So, next time you're feeling drained, try skipping the sofa and get moving!

There you have it, some of the most common myths busted!! Get up and get moving at Village Health & Wellness and find the best version of you.