In a world where infomercials, magazines, videos, the Internet, and friends may offer contradictory advice, misunderstanding naturally flourishes. Some of the common ones go like this:
No pain, no gain
nHow many times have you heard this one? The implication is that you won't get results unless you exercise at a high level of intensity to the point of physical exhaustion or pain. Research shows, however, that even low to moderate intensity routines yield valuable health benefits. A good general recommendation is to do cardiovascular exercise three to five days a week for 20 to 45 minutes per session at 65 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) —which is a level where you are exerting effort but aren't left breathless.

1,000 crunches a day will give me  six-pack abs
nThanks to the rise in popularity of midriff shirts, low-rise jeans and male models sporting six-pack abs, everyone aspires to get "those" abs. And you may find yourself increasing the number of crunches in your routine, hoping that you'll get them. The reality is that if there's a layer of fat covering your muscles, definition will never become apparent. Your time would be much better spent doing some quality cardio sessions and making sure you're eating well, which helps you lose body fat - the key to unveiling remarkable abs.

Spot reduction is possible
nIn reality, it's quite impossible. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. This misconception originates from the belief that you can burn fat from one part of the body by exercising only that area. The truth is that you cannot ‘burn fat,’ but you can burn calories. Body sculpting is accomplished most effectively through a combination of aerobics, flexibility exercises, and weight training.

Exercise takes hours and hours
nMany people are convinced that extensive workouts performed every day will produce the results they seek. The truth is that when done properly and at the optimum intensity, aerobic movement can be effective in as little as 10-15 minutes, and resistance movement can be effective in an even shorter time (2-3 minutes). Exercising the right way three to four days a week will notably improve your health and fitness levels.

Exercise alone will effectively manage my weight
nIt's not quite that simple. Although exercise is a good predictor of whether or not weight loss is maintained, weight gain or loss depends on various other factors as well, including dietary intake and genetics. Still, regular physical activity is one of the most important components in maintaining a long-term, overall healthy lifestyle - it's best to aim for a balanced diet and level of fitness that suits your individual needs.

I will go on a diet and lose pounds
nThis will most likely shipwreck your metabolism and cause you to end up fatter than before the diet. When most people say ‘diet’, they mean restricting caloric intake, starving themselves.  When your body doesn't get enough calories, it has to ‘feed’ on its own tissue because it is not getting enough energy from food. This would be great if your body only used fat, but it also feeds on muscle tissue. Losing muscle means your metabolism slows down. The end result is that your metabolism is slower than it was before the diet. This means you will gain more weight from fewer calories. Once you go off the diet, you gain even more weight back because there is less muscle to burn the calories. Not good, right?

In terms of diet, start off by increasing your protein intake (fish, chicken, etc), and cutting back on the junk food and sugar. Give yourself a break once a week - have your favourite junk food once a week. Go have some pizza and doughnuts, but just once a week. It will not make any difference if you are consistent the rest of the week. The break will also help you stay faithful to healthy eating the rest of the time.

The author is a qualified
fitness instructor and can be contacted at 9834111353/080-25446168 or mail at martinaerobics@yahoo.co.in