Even in today’s day and age, we constantly hear of so many myths surrounding women’s fitness. And the worst one by far, is that if women lift weights, they will end up with a ‘manly’ physique! For beginners to fitness, it can be a little difficult to navigate between the truth and tales, so we’ve rounded up some of the fitness stereotyping myths we’re tired of hearing. From weightlifting to cardio, all our information is backed by scientific studies. Read on to find out more about five fitness stereotypes we need to stop encouraging ASAP.
1. “Girls shouldn’t lift weights as it is dangerous”
There is only one rule about weightlifting that one needs to know about and it is the same for men and women: It can be unsafe only when your form is incorrect. In fact, a 2017 study published in Sports Med found that powerlifting and CrossFit have a lower risk of injury compared to other sports like soccer, football or running.
Weights are usually stereotyped as something men use and lifting is generally considered a man’s sport, but studies have shown that women athletes can match them, kilogram for kilogram, and in some cases in which the strength is in comparison to body weight, women can outlift men.
2. “You should stick to cardio to lose weight. Weightlifting can make you look bulky”
Here’s a secret: All that built muscle you see in tight muscle t-shirt ads? That requires years and years of weightlifting. So, it is true that if you lift significant weights over a period of time, you will gain muscle mass but keep in mind that this takes way longer than burning fat. You need to put in many years of hard work and make changes to your diet (like eating extra calories) before you look like that. It isn’t something that happens by causally lifting weights thrice a week!
Plus, a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science found that weightlifting is as good as or better than cardio for burning calories. This is because it can increase your basal metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after you finish your workout. Once you stop lifting weights, your body takes time to recover. This recovery period also burns calories. With cardio, when you stop working out is when the calories stop burning.
3. “Women in bigger, muscular bodies can’t be healthy”
Our culture insists on putting women in boxes. Petite is good, and big and muscular is bad. It is really that simple for society. But, a person’s overall health depends on a number of factors, not just their muscle mass. Some people just weigh more and look bulkier than others simply because they have more bone and muscle mass.
4. “You shouldn’t work out on their period”
There is no study that says that you can’t work out on your period but for some reason, this myth refuses to die. In fact, there is evidence that exercise can be helpful during that time of the month as it keeps the serotonin flowing. It can also ease cramps, headache, or back pain associated with your period.
There’s no scientific reason you should skip out on your workouts during your period. In fact, there’s evidence that exercise can be helpful during this time.
The bottom line is this: Continue with exercise, but back off on the intensity, especially if you’re feeling fatigued. Vary your workouts, take extra time to recover, and honour what you’re capable of.
5. “There is a ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to fitness”
Studies have, over time, shown that there is no one fitness solution that works for everyone. For example, recent studies are have reported that there’s no single diet that works for everyone. In fact, even identical twins process food differently! Similarly, we should keep in mind that a fitness regime that works for someone, say a celebrity, may not work for us. Do what is best for your body and remind yourself that having an end goal isn’t the way to go about fitness. It just isn’t sustainable! Instead, try to make movement a part of your everyday routine because of how it makes you feel versus what you want to look like.