It’s apparent by now that trusting everything we hear about fitness shouldn’t be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism. This pertains to basically on the latest research in the field or even the fitness gadgets offered.
However, there are certain experts who can separate the wheat from the chaff, like Dr. Dennis Cardone, who is the Director of Primary Care of Sports Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Based on his scrutiny, here are 3 exercise myths that you shouldn’t believe:
1: The More You Sweat, The More Weight You Lose
Once summer is here, people want to fit into bathing suits and might try to exercise too much during the day in order to burn off as much sweat as possible. This is dangerous especially if you haven’t worked out before. Instead, work out at time when it is cooler – either at sunrise or sunset. If you must workout during the day, then do it in shaded areas. Also, use lighter colored clothing.
2: Drink water even when you’re not thirsty
A few years ago it was believed that one must drink at least 15 ounces of water whether or not you were thirsty. This is not good as it will lead to hyperhydration. This means that your sodium levels will drop drastically. It’s fine to wait until you’re actually thirsty. Of course, it’s advised that you should have at least 20 to 24 ounces of water for every hour.
3: Taking an ice bath will help you recover quickly
Unfortunately, the benefit of ice water is purely psychological. For one, recovery time might slow with age. Of course, overheating can help with acute physical issues. Yet ice baths are not as effective that people make them out to be. In fact, it is suggested that you take time recover properly and stay hydrated instead. Eat more protein and add cross-training in your schedule.