Over the course of my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from and be mentored by some of the leading international experts in the exercise, fitness, sports, Pilates dance, and wellness industry.
Because of this, and years of noticing people struggle without knowledge or results, I’ve learned so much about what works, and simply what doesn’t.
MYTH 1: You must sweat in order to burn calories
It seems so logical. The more you sweat, the better your workout must be, and thus the more calories you must be burning. But sweating is the body’s reaction to a shift in your core temperature, and is simply a form of body heat regulation. This is why you may sweat more on a hot day than a cold day. Ultimately, sweating has a lot more to do with science and the brain’s ability to tell the body what to do to cool down, and less to do with your body’s ability to burn calories or fat.
Another factor in sweat production can be related to what kind of shape you’re in. Meaning, the fitter you are, the less you may sweat. According to Jenny Scott, Educational Advisor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine, “As your body becomes more conditioned, it takes more intense exercise to increase your core body temperature and produce sweat.”
This doesn’t mean that the more you sweat the less fit you are. The amount you sweat may also be related to your sweat glands, and some people have more than others. Although those individuals may sweat more in a specific workout, that doesn’t signal they’re in better shape, or burning more calories.
Burning calories (and maintaining weight) has everything to do with consistent eating and physical activity, and nothing to do with the beads of water you’re losing. Instead keep hydrated, which means taking a few small sips of water every 10-15 minutes during exercise.
MYTH 2: Celebrity fitness will work for you!
Those magazine headlines. Those social media posts. More secret exercise tips from the stars that flip the famous from flab to fab in a few weeks, right?
Many celebrities work extremely hard to achieve extraordinary results. Changing shape for a role, training for a character, getting ready to tour stadiums with your band for months, to take your show on the road, are just a few common ways I’ve helped clients reach goals that are beyond usual.
And that’s the point.
Most celebrity training has an end goal—which is why you don’t see Hugh Jackman staying “jacked” as the Wolverine. Instead, there he is next, lithe and debonair like Fred Astaire, starring in “The Music Man” on Broadway.
Think about it. You can be sure Hugh’s Wolverine workout is not his go-to routine, in spite of his obvious journey of transformation. That kind of extreme change in a relatively short amount of time is incredibly grueling and requires the focus of a full-time job—which he is being paid to achieve for the larger goals of filling roles of actor and movie star.
Also strangely, it may seem easy to let go of the training, but it’s hard to let the results of what that work took, go.
Notice in magazine spreads or online content how the workout/training is published when the X-Men movie is released.
Wonder if there’s any reason why complete strangers would want to help you with your health. Why would any workout plan from them be right for you?
Do we really know if that is what Hugh did? How do we know? The truth is we don’t. In all likelihood, we’re getting a writer interpreting some notes he made after a celebrity tried to explain his exercise routine. People often misspeak and can’t articulate exactly what it is they’ve been taught by the trainer that has given results.
That’s normal because celebrities aren’t trainers—when it comes to exercise, most need the same information you’re looking for!
If the trainer is asked about workouts, many times they will generalize for brevity, or to make an impossible workout palatable for the average person, knowing it’s not sustainable, and that what they really do with a client is a one-off specific plan for the situation.
Remember, successful exercise is what you do consistently whether or not you like it that day. It’s movement practice that becomes as routine as getting dressed. Notice that you don’t have to dress your best every day, even though sometimes you put a lot more effort in.
The point is that each day, you just have to get dressed.
Credible exercise is the same way. It’s what works, over time, what you can do most days, where change happens.
MYTH 3: Don’t workout if you’re pregnant
Pregnancy often comes with a lot of outdated and unsolicited advice, ideas about types of movement or exercise in general being harmful or unhealthy for mother and baby.
As for any workout, you want to focus on what’s appropriate for you—what your body needs, what’s generally safe, then get specific to your situation.
For example, are you in your first, second, or third trimester? The exercises and positioning will change as you move through these different stages.
Remember that no pregnancy is the same, including if you have been pregnant before. Once you’ve been cleared by your doctor, it’s usually fine to begin a gentle movement program to experience the many benefits of working out during this time.
According to the Mayo Clinic, these include reducing back ache, constipation, bloating and swelling; boosting mood and energy levels; improving sleep, and promoting better muscle tone, strength and endurance. Other benefits are a lowered risk of gestational diabetes, having a shortened labor, and a reduced risk of delivering by C-section.
If you are new to exercise, start out slowly and gradually increase activity based on the guidelines, and how you feel. If you already had a regular workout plan in place, you can often continue with your routine while making subtle changes over time, using alternate positions to avoid pressure on the abdomen, joints, and ensure best oxygen flow, as you move through the three trimesters.
Avoid becoming overheated. A good mix of Pilates and light resistance workouts are preferable to spending too long doing cardio exercise. Some women find issues with their balance and coordination. In order to limit the chance of falls, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology recommends pregnant women avoid contact sports, and most injury-prone activities like skiing.
MYTH 4: Let your partner join your workout
Exercise is often fun as a group activity—think of sports, workout classes, hiking or running with a club, or doing yoga with a friend. There’s camaraderie, high-fiving, energy, good spirits, companionship, and the sense of being part of something more than jumping around.
Private training is different. It is only about you. It is only about your journey, how you got here, and where you’re headed next.
How the trainer can lead you to your destination and beyond, and teach you how to move in new ways that will show up in other areas of your life.
It could also be learning how to balance, coordinate, and control your body by feeling and noticing movement that helps build stronger connections with yourself.
Another person, often a partner, affects that time you’ve taken just for you. Other people can’t help but bring their needs, wants, different energy, and commitment levels with them, which often affects the focus on goals you set to reach.
Get what you pay for—the full individual programming, wisdom, and attention from your trainer—it will be more than worth your money, time, and effort.
MYTH 5: Private training will always give you better results than at-home workouts
This myth has some truth to it. I do believe that private, one-on-one training can and often does give better results than doing your own workouts at home.
Mainly, this is a result of two things: the accountability and support of a trainer is a powerful motivator especially when you start, and even more so when issues come up, as they do, along the way.
The other reason is something most people will not waste—spending good money and time! That kind of investment will always bring the type of commitment that something for free never does.
DAILY REMINDER #1
Remember that getting in shape is a process.
It involves more than just moving your body. If you approach it casually, like any relationship, you can expect to receive casual or little return on that effort.
Does that mean you have to become a workout and health fiend? Not at all—that doesn’t work for most people either!
In fact, you already have what you need to make change your reality. It’s inside you. I can show you how to harness that.
Every life skill takes the right learning then regular practice to make it your own. Know more, feel good, look like someone on the move…
K Studio is a place for creating personal change that opens the future.
