Myth: I am too old to exercise.

Reality: Studies of people as old as 100 years of age have found favorable results from exercise. In one study, individuals, who were over 90 years old, became 175% stronger just after one month of strength training!

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Myth: The "Fat Burn" program on my treadmill is the best way to lose weight.

Reality: We burn more fat at lower levels of activity. The Fat Burn programs of treadmills, and other exercise machines hold you at about 65% of your estimated maximum heart rate which is fine in the beginner exerciser. Greater intensities and lengths of time working out will result in more calories burned- which if coupled with small reductions in the number of calories eaten, results in more weight loss.

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Myth: When I stop exercising, muscle turns to fat.

Reality: This is a myth caused by those who stop exercising but who continue to eat as if they are still working out. The combination of shrinking muscles from inactivity, coupled with excess calories eaten and as fat give the illusion that muscle has been transformed into fat.

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Myth: No pain no gain.

Reality: Pain is a sign that something is wrong. Any sharp pain felt during exercise should be a signal to stop exercise immediately and see a physician. Burning pain during exercise is a sign that you are building up waste products (such as lactic acid) faster than you can get rid of it. Eventually the burning will not occur as you adapt to exercise.

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Myth: Women who strength train will get big bulky muscles.

Reality: Women lack the hormones to needed make their muscles big like that of men. Even the biggest of female bodybuilders are smaller than male bodybuilders. Women who have overly large muscles often get them because they lift very heavy weights, exercise for several hours a day, consume many thousands of calories, are genetically blessed to begin with and sometimes (unfortunately) abuse steroids. Strength training is something all women should do to improve the quality and quantity of their lives!

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Myth: Exercise burns a lot of calories.

Reality: Exercise burns fewer calories than you might think. For example, running or walking a mile burns about 100 calories. Sitting still for an hour burns about 50-60 calories. However, this small difference adds up over time especially when exercise is combined with more sensible eating choices. Also understand that the advantages of exercise go beyond calorie burning and include stronger muscles, bones, reductions in diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and several forms of cancer, reduced stress, and improved immune systems to name a few.

Now that you have no more excuses, get to it!