Prevent these 5 Guaranteed-to-Fail Diet & Exercise Myths

A harder or  a smarter workout?

Perfect beach body by July! a women’s weekly recently blared as I awaited checkout at my local supermarket.

Curious, I thumbed through to the article. Nothing new: Its celebrity-coddled author trotted out several over-worn nutrition and fitness clichés that should have become permanently retired around, oh, 1994.

These myths didn’t work then, they don’t work now, yet every year I see women’s magazines, social media pages, and so-called health gurus promoting these refuse-to-die nonsensical ideas.

As a personal trainer for two decades, I’ve watched fads come and go. While most become debunked and disappear, a few stubbornly stick around. Let’s look at five refuse-to-die myths, coupled with smart alternatives that really do work.

1. Do a juice or cleanse. Any plan with “juice” or cleanse” usually signals a semi-starvation diet masquerading as “detoxification.” Yes, you will probably lose weight – I said weight, not fat – at the cost of precious muscle. Most cleanses, detoxes, and juices are simply sugar water with maybe a few added nutrients. Because your liver demands protein to detoxify, eventually your body starts breaking down muscle to supply those in-demand amino acids when you don’t get sufficient dietary protein.

Smart alternative: Substitute one or two meals for a protein-rich shake. Load low-sugar whey or pea-rice protein powder with avocado, leafy green, raspberries, and unsweetened coconut or almond milk. You’ll effortlessly reduce calories and provide antioxidants, protein, and healthy fats your body needs to detoxify without starvation or other miseries.

2. Determine to get a six-pack. Your favorite underwear model sports one (photoshopped, no doubt), and yes, fabulous obliques can amp up bikini-season hot factor about six notches. Unfortunately, most people tone up their midsections incorrectly. Desperate for that coveted six-pack, they slouch over barbaric-looking gym machines or purchase some silly, completely useless infomercial abs product.

Smart alternative: There’s no magic formula for obsessed-about perfect abs. That said, a clean diet, optimal nutrients, and a regular weight-training program can help you blast belly fat, define your obliques, and actually see your abs.

3. Militantly subscribe to an eating plan. Over deep dish followed by a big sliver of tiramisu, you vow tomorrow you’ll go 100% Paleo, or 100% vegan, or whatever. Confine yourself to a strict, no-wiggle-room agenda and you’ve set the stage to crash and burn faster than you can polish off that pizza.

Smart alternative: Rather than deprivation, an occasional indulgence can work in your favor metabolically and hormonally. Just know when to say when. If one double fudge brownie becomes an all-day gorge-fest, step away from the dessert and make a nice kale chicken salad STAT.

4. Work out harder. Hauling ass in the gym yields numerous rewards, but overdo it – working out too long or exhaustively pushing way beyond your peak limit – and you create adrenal fatigue, sleep deprivation, and overblown cortisol levels.

Smart alternative: Getting toned demands you work out smarter. You can knock out burst training and weight resistance in far less time than that aerobics class or gliding, I mean walking, on an elliptical machine. Rest and recovery – getting eight hours’ sleep, controlling stress levels – also become crucial to maintain that lean, toned physique.

5. Subscribe to a one-size-fits-all mentality. Remember those one-size-fits-all T-shirts that never looked good on anybody? Same with across-the-board diet or exercise plans. I see experts boast their plan is perfect for everyone. Nonsense. As a biochemically unique individual, what works for your best friend could become an absolute disaster for you.

Smart alternative: Figure out what works for your body. This becomes a journey, not an overnight discovery. You are not going to suddenly discover the perfect eating plan reading a book or attending your first barre class. These transformations demand work and effort that materialize over time. Nothing good ever came easy.

What one guaranteed-to-fail eating or exercise myth would you add here, and what smart alternative would yield far better results? Share yours below or on my Facebook page.

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Fitness expert and strength coach Jini Cicero, CSCS, teaches intermediate exercisers how to blast through plateaus to create incredible transformations. Are you ready to take your fitness to a whole new level?  Find out now!  www.Jinifit.com.  © 2015 Jinifit, Inc.

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