Arts & LifeHealth & Fitness Health Blog

Health Blog

Walking a mile and running one burn the same number of calories, right? Wrong! 4 fitness myths debunked for April Fool’s

What're we April Fools to believe? Ask ACE

The folks at American Council on Exercise (ACE) know their stuff. So though we may not believe them if today they told us there was a cricket in our running shoe or a snake in our gym locker, we do believe when they tell us that some truths…are not. And what better day than April 1 to say “NOT REALLY!”

1. Walking a mile burns as many calories as running one. Nope. Say the ACE folks: “While walking is a great physical activity, it does not require as much energy as running. Research has shown that running has a 40 percent greater energy cost compared to walking . That means you burn more calories when you run.” (Unless, we wager, you walk verrrry quickly and run verrrry slowly).

2. Stretch before working out to prevent injuries. As my father would say, GONG. As in give-this-notion-the.

Say the ACE folks: “Scientific literature of the past decade fails to support stretching before exercise as a successful strategy for injury prevention. However, research does support stretching at other times, including post-exercise, to reduce injury risk.”

3. Muscle weighs more than fat. Ah, this brings to mind the age-old question: Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of gold? A pound is a pound is a pound.

Say the ACE folks: “The difference is their density. As we lose fat and gain muscle, weight may change very little, while body volume decreases as we become leaner.”

4. Want six-pack abs? Focus on only them.  Nah. Spot training doesn’t work.

Say the ACE folks: “Research shows that if a vigorous, high-volume, (their italics, not ours) core-training program is performed, fat will be reduced in the abdominal area, but not selectively. A lean midsection requires, then, a total program of core, resistance and aerobic exercise—not just a focus on the abs.”

Plus, oh yeah, eating right.