If you hear it enough times, you begin to think it’s true. Ever fallen prey to any of these popular exercise fallacies? Josh Salzmann sets you straight

Here at iVillage.co.uk we want to keep our members up on the latest information and fitness trends. We also want to separate fact from fiction in the world of training and exercise. Only through understanding how working out affects our bodies can we aim to stay healthy and fit. Here are some of the most common fitness myths and the truths behind them.

Myth 1: You get stronger and fitter while you train.
Truth: Your muscles actually become stronger and more toned while you rest and recuperate from training. Think of all exercise as a kind of stress on your body and the process of getting fit as an adaptation to this stress. If you never take a break from exercising or if you repeat the same type of training day in and day out then you won’t see the results you want. What’s more, training too hard or too often may cause injury or illness.

Myth 2: The more exercise the better.
Truth: This follows from the first myth, but most of us tend to think that more of anything we have is always better. This is certainly not the case with fitness. As far as exercise is concerned, its quality not quantity that counts. In other words, it isn’t how many sets you do of a particular exercise but the intensity at which you work that gets desired results. With weight training, for example, the more you focus on the muscles you are working by lifting the weights in a slow and controlled manner, the better the workout you’ll have and the quicker you’ll see a change in your body.

Myth 3: Weight training will bulk you up.
Truth: This is perhaps the most common myth women fall for and it couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, weight training is often the easiest and quickest way for women to look leaner, more sculpted and toned. You’d have to be taking steroids to achieve the bulked-up look most body builders have, so don’t be afraid of weights. I encourage you to incorporate strength training twice a week into your exercise programme because it will help protect you from injury, tone your muscles, help prevent osteoporosis and burn excess body fat, even when you are resting.

Myth 4: You burn more fat when you exercise at a low intensity for a long amount of time.
Truth: The most efficient way to burn fat is to combine intense training in short spurts with a nutritious diet. For example, 30 minutes of cycling in intervals, where you continuously vary your speed, intensity and pace, burns more calories than a slow one-hour walk. And it keeps burning them when you stop because your metabolism stays elevated for a few hours after you exercise. As for the best kinds of workouts, the most efficient calorie and fat burner is weight training. Shorter but harder sessions between 20 minutes to one hour are much better for you than working out at a slower pace or intensity for a long time.

Myth 5: Weight training doesn’t give you a cardiovascular workout.
Truth: Strength training is actually an excellent way to work the heart and lungs. Next time you’re in the gym, try doing a slow set of squats, lunges or press-ups and see how you can take your heart rate to new heights. Another easy way to get your heart rate racing is by doing press ups over your head with a body bar or light dumbbells. But, if you ever start to feel lightheaded when doing any of these exercises, stop at once and rest.

Myth 6: If you workout, you can eat whatever you want.
Truth: You are what you eat. Nothing can change that. If you try to make up for sloppy eating habits through exercising more or at a higher intensity, you’ll probably overtrain and be more likely to injure yourself. You’ll probably also feel frustrated because you won’t be seeing the desired results. The only way to maintain weight and be fit is by sticking to a healthy exercise programme and eating nutritiously. You simply can’t do one or the other and expect to look and feel great. If you eat little and often (about four or five mini meals a day), include a balance of protein, fruit and vegetables and carbs in your diet, and drink lots of water you’ll feel energised for your workouts and look and feel your best.

Myth 7: Sitting in the sauna helps you burn fat.
Truth: Saunas are great for one thing: releasing muscle tension. This is a great way to spend five minutes relaxing after a tough workout. However, sitting in the sauna depletes your body of water and, if these fluids are not replenished, can cause dehydration. It’s important to drink lots of water before and after you sit in the sauna, and while it might be an enjoyable experience it won’t help you burn fat.