Exercise: the real facts

Spring is here, and that's the signal for us to have a look at our health and fitness habits. Of course, many of us have been down this track before. The desire is there, but not the determination, and often by October we have given up in frustration before reaching our goals. Contributing to this problem is a host of bad information about diet and exercise that circulates through gyms, workplaces and over the internet. Personal trainer Gary Dawkins takes a closer look at the exercise myths.

1 I can burn more fat calories by exercising for a long time at a low intensity level.

This statement is the most misunderstood of all the fitness claims. We have been trained to think that to burn fat we must do lots of long and low intensity exercise.

It is true that the fuel being burned during this type of exercise is predominantly fat.

However, the exercise intensity is so low that total calories burned are insufficient to allow for good results.

2 I am a female so strength training will make me too muscular.

Women naturally have less bone and muscle than men, so they need to take care of what they've got. This is why women are at greater risk of osteoporosis then men. Lost muscle puts women at greater risk of disability as they age.

And don't worry about looking like a body builder. Women don't have enough testosterone to create big, bulky muscles.

3 If I exercise the areas where my fat is, then I will lose my fat on this area.

Some people believe that if they exercise one area, it will cause fat to be removed from that area. Spot reduction is a myth.

Abdominal, butt and hip exercises will strengthen the muscles - but the muscles are sitting underneath a layer of fat and that is what we see on the surface - flab.

The only way to get rid of fat is to lose weight, but where you lose it depends on your genes.

4 Aerobic exercise burns lots of calories.

It's time to stop counting the calories you are burning while cycling at the gym. Exercising does not, on its own, burn a lot of calories. Walking or running 1.5km burns about 100 calories. But sitting still on the couch burns about 50 calories.

So the extra you expend isn't huge and this is why people get discouraged by their slow rate of weight loss.

Instead, it's all about increasing your lean muscle mass and adopting the correct nutritional programme.

More lean muscle means you will be burning lots of calories even when you are at home on the couch.

This means adopting smart exercise and nutrition programmes specific to you, rather than merely walking each day and becoming discouraged at the slow rate of fat loss.

People also think they will be burning lots of calories long after they have completed their walk.

In fact, calorie expenditure is only elevated for the first minute or two after completing low effort exercise such as walking.

5 If I don't lose weight, then there's no point in exercising.

The sad point about it is that most people only start an exercise programme so they can lose that unwanted flab. Many do not see immediate weight loss results, so stop.

In fact, 70% of people who start a gym membership have given up within the first three weeks because they have not seen any weight loss signs.

The benefits of exercise extend far beyond weight loss - exercise improves the ability of insulin to enter cells, so it lowers the risk of diabetes.

Exercise lowers the risk of heart disease by improving blood clotting mechanisms, lowering triglycerides and promoting the good cholesterol (HDL).

Exercise improves sleep and has consistently been shown to relieve both depression and anxiety.