Healthy Living: Myths Vs. Facts: The Truth About Cardio

New to fitness? Not sure which machine to use or how to use it? I've been there, but I've since educated myself and have the facts right here!

"The treadmill is bad for your knees." Fact! You may have read or heard of this, but weren't sure if it was true. The strain a treadmill puts on your muscles can tear them and leave you sore and injured for months. Choose the elliptical for a smoother full-body workout that won't tear your knee tendons.

"Your weight matters more than your inches lost." Myth! Don't let a number on the scale rule your life. This journey is more about the way you can and will feel, sooner rather than later! Your weight and BMI do count for something, but the inches lost, muscle gained, and most importantly, the way you feel matter more! If you're feeling better and have much more energy than ever before, you're doing it right. Now all you have to do is keep it up!

"Muscle weighs more than fat." Fact! 1 pound of muscle is much smaller and tons more condensed than 1 pound of fat. So, if you gained weight or didn't lose any, don't be discouraged. Think about it in an objective way. For example, check out this fat vs. muscle comparison:

"Protein powder is only for people who lift." Myth! Everyone needs enough protein to feel good! In fact, it's great to hit your daily protein goal, no matter who you are or how much you lift. Protein is a very important part of anyone's diet, and if you're exercising at all, you may need extra protein on a daily basis. It's important that you get the nutrients you need, otherwise you're not going to feel as well as you could.

"You should be losing more than 1-2 pounds a week." Myth! The healthy way to lose weight is to shed about 1 pound a week, maybe 2 if you're careful and know you're getting the right nutrients. There have been a few weeks where I lost more than 2 pounds in 7 days, but I wasn't trying to starve myself and I wasn't taking any unnatural supplements. Just make sure you're not harming your body in any way, and lose weight at a healthy rate.

"Even if you're not getting as much exercise as you could, 10 minutes of light to moderate exercise a day can really make a difference." Fact! Your body should be getting at least an hour of moderate exercise a day, but anything counts if you're in a hurry! Jump rope for a few minutes or even do a few yoga poses in between tasks. During your lunch break, go on a 15-30 minute walk to help reboot your system and get the rusty wheels back to turning! This will also help out your mind while it's at work.

The truth about cardio is that you can rarely get enough of it! It's great for your wellbeing: body and mind. Remember that anything helps when it comes to clean eating and exercise, but don't limit yourself either. Keep it going strong and I guarantee you'll see results!