Our friends at Seva Health have put together the five fitness myths that are taking up space rent-free. Angel, the founder, has a great podcast called Healthy Housecalls, where she, a wellness-focused nurse, helps you live longer & better. 

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Welcome to Healthy Housecalls with Angel, a weekly round-up of tips, tools, and strategies to help you live longer and live better with lifestyle medicine. Like it? Forward to a friend, who can subscribe here.

Here, we go over some fitness myths that can stop taking up space rent-free in your brain:

Myth: You need to be at the gym 

Walking is the easiest exercise method to use. Simply step outside your door; no extra equipment is required. Want to perform resistance training at home? No issue. Push-ups and the use of milk jugs or other household items as weights are two examples of how you can work your entire body without any equipment. And there are lots of workout videos on Instagram, Zoom, and YouTube that can transform your living room into a fitness studio. 

Myth: Working out on an empty stomach is a must 

Although this myth isn't entirely inaccurate, it does depend on your objectives. You can lose weight by exercising on an empty stomach, but you must have enough stamina to complete a challenging workout plan. Consider a protein shake to give you more energy without making you feel sluggish if you are attempting to lose weight but find that you can't make it through your workouts without a snack. If you want to lose weight, exercising first thing in the morning (before breakfast) can be your best bet. 

Myth: Lifting weights turns fat into muscle 

Fat cannot be converted into muscle. Weightlifting actually contributes to the development of muscular tissue within and around any fatty tissue. Eating a nutritious diet that includes vegetables, whole wheat, lean meats, and - yes - healthy fats like olive oil and salmon is the best approach to reducing fat tissue. 

Myth: Heavy weights will make women bulky 

It is difficult for women to gain muscle mass by weight lifting unless they are specifically aiming to do so because they don't have as much testosterone as men. However, strength training, or the act of lifting plenty of weights, is crucial to physical fitness. Use less weight and more repetitions if you're still concerned about gaining too much muscle. 

Myth: You can target certain body parts for weight loss 

Whether it's your arms, legs, or core, several exercises promise to focus specifically on one part of your body. Even though these exercises aid in muscle growth, they are unlikely to significantly affect that area. At the same time, concentrating solely on one area at the cost of others does not lead to a change on the whole. Instead, aim to work on your entire body as a whole. 

If incorporating more healthy habits into your schedule, such as developing a healthy exercise routine, is on your mind, check out my Fit & Functional for Life community. The community brings together people from all walks of life to learn these skills in a safe, encouraging space away from other toxic spaces on social media. 

Sign up for the Fit and Functional for Life community: https://www.getfitandfunctionalforlife.com/landing