Fitness is clouded with decades of misinformation, bias, and drug-enhanced physiques. Many women new to fitness hold beliefs based on common misunderstandings of diet and exercise science. Worse, many experienced lifters and trainers believe these same myths. Please realize that no matter how many times you've heard these things, years of research has overturned these myths so don't unduly restrict yourself based on your sex!
Light Weights & High Reps to Tone
Tone is compromised of two factors: muscle mass and low body fat. For a beginner, any weightlifting or dieting is likely going to add some tone, but that doesn't mean it's the best way and won't work for long. Lifting heavy weights is the best way to add muscle mass which is half of that tone factor.
Lifting Heavy Means Getting Bulky
This is the most frustrating myth women face because if a few months of heavy lifting turned you into a bulky hulk, you'd be a medical miracle. The bulky female physiques you see are usually the result of years of daily lifting and illegal supplementation. Are you lifting heavy 6 days a week and taking drugs? If not, then you aren't going to turn into She-hulk. Instead, you're going to get toned.
Cardio Is The Best Way to Lose Weight
There are a myriad of ways to lose weight. Cardio can be part of a program, but should not be the entire program. Lifting has a longer post-workout energy burn, increases hormones that assist in fat burning, and builds lean muscle that burns more calories than fat.
Women Shouldn't Train Like Men
While results differ greatly, male and female bodies are similar enough that training methods don't change. Goals and individual differences dominate program design. Women should feel comfortable training in any program as long as they are not training above their fitness level. Pushing yourself too hard in order to keep up with other people (men or women) is asking for injury.
While psychological and personality studies also show significant mental and emotional differences between the sexes, there is a lot of overlap and individual variance is higher. You and your trainer need to focus on your uniqueness and explore any type of training or motivation that appeals to you. If you want to do Yoga in pink tights and full makeup, go for it. If you want to deadlift in sweats, do it.
Women Are The Same As Men
In some circles, there is a belief that women's bodies are so similar to a man's that strength differences are due to social indoctrination. That's simply not true. Men have ~20 times the testosterone of women, have a higher fast-to-slow twitch muscle fiber ratio, naturally have lower body fat levels, can safely maintain lower body fat, and have more general body mass. So while a woman's body responds to exercise closely to a man's, the results will never be equivalent for the same amount of effort.
I Don't Have to Change My Workout When Pregnant
Depending on how far along you are and what your current regimen is, you may need to make some changes. Besides having a basketball in front of you, pregnancy changes hormones, increases total bodyweight, and weakens joints. High intensity or high impact training can also cause complications so your program may need to change throughout your pregnancy. You may also have completely different goals afterwards, but keep up some routine because your child benefits from a healthy, energetic mother.
Portion Size Is All That Matters
Some women eat tiny portions of really high calorie food, thinking that if they only eat one slice of pizza, it's OK. It might be, but it might not. One slice of pizza can easily have as much as 600 calories and just a serving of ice cream can have the same. On the other hand, if you're eating a giant bowl full of vegetables and chicken, you could be consuming half of that.
Women Can Eat Like Men
Some women eat the same serving size as their boyfriend or husband and don't understand why they're gaining weight. Men are on average almost 20% larger than women and have more lean muscle so a woman's portion size should be smaller.
