Fitness Rules You SHOULD Break

Not all rules are meant to be followed. In fact, breaking certain fitness rules can actually be beneficial! The key is knowing which rules are so yesterday. Any rulebreakers in the house? Then check out our newest blog post outlining the fitness rules you SHOULD break, right here!

1. The more you work out, the faster you will see results.

While it seems logical that more workouts = more results, that simply isn't the case. Your body needs rest to rebuild that muscle, and to recover. If you work out all day, every day, you're just exhausting your muscles. In addition, tons of working out will eventually lead to burnout, especially if you're overexerting yourself. Give yourself some rest days, and make sure you aren't going harder than your body can handle when you work out.

2. Focus only on cardio if you want to lose weight.

You might want to trade in the treadmill machine for the squat rack next time you head to the gym. The more you train in a specific cardio event, the more your body becomes efficient at your workout, so you start burning fewer calories. Don't neglect the weightlifting -- the more muscle your body has, the more calories you will burn. It boosts your metabolism. What you really want to do is a balanced mixture of both cardio and weightlifting.

3. You won't get abs without crunches.

What if I told you the best way to get abs is by eating a healthy, balanced diet? How about if I said that ab workouts can only work if you have a low enough body percentage for those muscles to be revealed? In reality, ab workouts can only do so much. The best way to reveal them is to eat healthy foods that promote good muscle growth. Then, and only then, will ab workouts really make your tummy shine!

4. You have to eat before you work out.

Fasted workouts are gaining popularity for good reason. Some people find that they have increased energy and better results if they choose to eat their meal after their workout, rather than before. While every body is different, and this may take some trial and error before you find out how your body truly wants to function, there is no hard and fast rule that you have to eat before you work out.