| Tired of hearing confusing and misleading advice from | | | | minutes. In between this, do what you want. |
| your friends or buddies in the gym? Get the facts by | | | | "Some beginners - in their zeal to make up for 20 |
| reading this article and discover the truth about these | | | | years of neglecting their bodies - vow to exercise |
| long-cherished fitness myths. This will help you weed | | | | everyday for the next 20 years. This is not a good |
| out worthless advice so you can make the most out | | | | idea. If you're trying to get fit, your workouts are |
| of your workouts. | | | | only part of the equation; rest is just as important," |
| 'Excessive sweating while exercising means you're | | | | said Suzanne Schlosberg and Liza Neporent in "Fitness |
| not fit.' | | | | for Dummies." |
| If you're fit, the more you'll sweat. Sweating is the | | | | 'To build muscles, eat high-protein foods.' |
| body's way of cooling itself. This mechanism | | | | This myth appears to have originated with the |
| improves as you exercise regularly. | | | | ancient Olympics. Early athletes thought they could |
| "As you get in better shape, your body learns to | | | | acquire great strength by eating the raw meat of |
| cool itself more efficiently. Blood is shunted to the | | | | lions, tigers or animals with great fighting skills. |
| skin's surface more quickly via tiny blood vessels that | | | | While meat is a good source of protein, loading up on |
| dilate and radiate heat away from the body. At the | | | | it won't make your muscles bulge since the latter |
| same time, the sweat glands increase their output of | | | | actually contain 72 percent water and only 22 |
| a fluid-and-sodium mixture, which cools the body as it | | | | percent protein. Besides, most of us consume |
| evaporates. While fit people produce more sweat | | | | adequate amounts of protein from daily meals. |
| than sedentary folks, they lose less salt, because | | | | Getting more from foods, powders or supplements |
| more of it is reabsorbed by the body's cells as it | | | | won't turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger and may |
| travels from the sweat glands to the skin's surface. | | | | even damage your kidneys and liver. |
| The result: More copious and diluted sweat, and more | | | | "There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular |
| rapid cooling," said Royce Flippin in American Health | | | | belief that athletes require massive amounts of |
| magazine. | | | | protein-rich foods or protein supplements. Surveys |
| 'You should exercise everyday to stay healthy.' | | | | show that athletes often consume four to five times |
| If God Himself rested on the seventh day after | | | | their actual requirements. Yet there is absolutely no |
| creating the world, we mortals deserve a break too. | | | | health or performance benefit from high-protein |
| You don't have to exercise vigorously everyday to | | | | eating," according to Dr. Ellington Darden in "The |
| stay fit since even minimal physical activity like | | | | Health Robbers." |
| gardening or housecleaning can work wonders on | | | | To build more muscles, you have to lift weights or |
| your body. | | | | perform some kind of weight-bearing activity |
| In fact, experts say you can cut your risk of heart | | | | religiously. In short, you have to work out instead of |
| disease, diabetes, and other ailments by 60 percent | | | | relying on the promises of protein drinks and pills. |
| just by working out three times a week for 20 | | | | |