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"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Health & WellnessFEB 24, 2025

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)

Rūta Zumbrickaitė
Oleg Tarasenko
Rūta Zumbrickaitė and Oleg Tarasenko
39
3
In this world we live in, nothing is actually permanent, and I think you know it as well as I do. If even the seemingly fundamental laws of physics are periodically revised and adjusted, what can we say about such things as various rules and advice that allow us to be healthy and in good shape?
Imagine - just a few decades ago, something was considered an unshakable rule in physical training and fitness - and now most experts confidently call it not just a myth, but a harmful misconception. These are the myths (and their debunking) that the viral online thread is dedicated to, a selection of the best opinions from which we present to you today.
More info: Reddit

#1

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
The lie- calorie count doesn’t matter.

the truth- it sure fkn does.
Taupe88, Kaboompics.com
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32points

#2

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
“No pain, no gain.” I’ve had people look at me in disbelief when I tell them that they can get their exercise by walking outside on a beautiful day and listen to music or podcasts. Any activity is better than none. It doesn’t have to hurt to be working, it needs to be something that is sustainable.
Big-Routine222, Ketut Subiyanto
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30points

#3

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Targeted fat loss. People still think it's a real thing.
PatienceDifferent607, Annushka Ahuja
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29points

The thread was started a little over a week ago in the AskReddit community by the user u/i-hold-your-purse, who asked netizens: "What’s the biggest fitness myth that just won’t die?" As of today, the thread has nearly 4K upvotes and 1.7K various comments. Moreover, in fact, a heated discussion arose over some of these myths - after all, some of the readers considered them not myths at all.

#4

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
That stuff like walking doesn't count. Anything that burns calories counts Kyle.
CoonTang3975, Clem Onojeghuo
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28points

#5

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
A more recent one is needing like 300g of protein per day. I’ve talked to numerous ppl doing that while entirely avoiding carbs. It’s miserable and unhelpful .
ares21, Krisztina Papp
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25points

#6

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Sweating (by means of being in a hot room or wearing extra clothes) purifies you or makes you lose weight (aside from temporary water weight).
LikelyNotSober, Andres Ayrton
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25points

In fact, this is quite natural; it is precisely the pluralism of opinions that allows people to develop any branch of science. And medicine, nutrition and other related fields are absolutely no exception here. For example, just over a hundred years ago, many doctors around the world 100% seriously claimed that some substances, long banned by law by now, were good for health.

#7

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
The timing of food or workouts, pre workout, post work out.

Look, just eat and workout when you can. Those other things are not going to make any difference .
fadedtimes, Pixabay
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23points

#8

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Not so much fitness more of nutrition. Don’t f*****g take 500g of protein a day. You aren’t getting jacked, you’re getting fat. The body can’t magically process incredible amounts of protein towards muscle development. THE EXCESS TURNS TO FAT (extra aminos are excreted through p**s, I.e. no benefits)!
Black-Sheep11, Ron Lach
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20points

#9

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Whats actually naturally achievable in terms of building a muscular physique.


Kids still think those roided out bodybuilders on instagram are natural.
Suspicious-Engine412, Li Sun
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20points

Secondly, of course, there is no absolutely universal recipe for becoming strong, fast and healthy. There are different types of human bodies, each with a different metabolism and pain threshold - and a completely suitable training plan for one person will be real torture for another. And vice versa, of course.

For example, one of my friends, with a height of about 6'2'', has never weighed more than 130 pounds. Moreover, he never complained about lack of appetite - he can eat several burgers, wash it down with a liter of cola and snack on a couple of chocolate bars, but it will not affect his weight in any way. Don't rush to envy him, however - he tried to train in the gym for years, but never became even a little stronger.

#10

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
When people don't want to lift weights because they don't want to be super muscular.

You have to specifically try to get big and its very difficult. You are not going to end up looking like a body builder because you get under a barbell once or twice a week.
GenericHam, Ketut Subiyanto
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19points

#11

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
That seasoning your chicken destroys your progress. All it destroys is the will to live.
Fyrrys, Tim Douglas
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17points

#12

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
All these complicated methods to losing weight

All you have to do is eat less and exercise more. And the stuff you do eat should be healthy.
stunspelledbackwards, Nathan Cowley
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16points

Age also plays an important role in this process. The older we get, the more difficult it is to choose the right training regimen and menu. "The reality is that metabolism often plays a minor role. The greatest factors as you age are often poor diet and inactivity," Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing says in this dedicated article.

But, for example, the authors of this recent study, on the contrary, claim that metabolism doesn't decrease with age. The data, based on a study of nearly 6.5K people between the ages of 8 days and 95 years, refutes one of the basic principles of modern medicine. Moreover, the same study claims that men and women actually don't have much difference in metabolism....

#13

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
U gotta eliminate carbs from your diet.
Antique-Trip-3111, RDNE Stock project
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16points

#14

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Once you stop training, all that muscle will turn into fat.

The fact I've heard this from people who *REALLY* should know better is not just baffling, but disturbing. To say the least.
SimpleKiwiGirl, Samer Daboul
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15points

#15

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
That you can be Fat and healthy.
Minibeebs, Towfiqu barbhuiya
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15points

Who, one wonders, should we believe? First of all, you need to trust your own body: to know all of its features and limitations, and do what is good for you and only you. And, of course, be critical of any "absolute" rules. After all, as we have already found out, everything in the world is relative. So just feel free to scroll this list to the end, and we do believe it will definitely come in handy for you.

#16

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Eating nothing but protein will slim you down and it's super healthy way to live.
AndromedaateKraken, Lukas
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15points

#17

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
That working out makes a significant difference, when the reality is that when you stop pushing food into your mouth, you will start losing fat. All the working out effects are secondary, at best. The primary, and first-order, effect is simply not consuming as much. By an order of magnitude.
qrrux, Nathan Cowley
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15points

#18

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
I'm a group fitness instructor for active older adults. You are not going to lose weight just by exercising. Exercise is important for your circulation and mobility but you can work out all day long and not lose weight unless you change your eating habits. I used to teach 11 fitness classes a week and I was the heaviest I'd ever been in my life until I started keeping track of my calories. I didn't realize how much I was eating every day until I actually SAW the numbers. I lost 50 pounds last year counting calories, giving up some of my classes and doing my own workouts.
CampClear, Ahmet Kurt
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13points

#19

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
Doing sit ups gets rid of body fat around the stomach specifically.
kitjen, Jonathan Borba
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13points

#20

"What’s The Biggest Fitness Myth That Just Won’t Die?" (30 Responses)
That if you aren't losing weight, you are not working out hard enough. Plagued me for years. I gained about 30 lbs. after a surgery. Started lifting again and tracking what I eat and drink. The scale has not changed in over 6 months, but according to my doctors, I am far healthier than I was a year ago.
meisa1291, RDNE Stock project
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13points
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