9 Fitness Myths We Need To Stop Believing

"No pain, no gain." It looks great on a T-shirt, but so does "Female Body Inspector." That doesn't mean you should believe it. When it comes to health and exercise, there are certain unassailable truths. We know we should be active and maintain our bodies with respect and care. But, there are some long-held beliefs in the world of fitness that we just can't seem to shake. As with diet myths, some of them just require a little further explanation than a simple rhyming couplet. And, others, unfortunately, are simply untrue.

Since beginning The Anti-Diet Project, my approach to fitness has been all about sustainability and listening to my own body — whether it means pushing harder or easing back a little. But, I've also learned that talking to the pros is crucial. Because, like almost everyone, I believed many of these myths for years. This misinformation is what leads to injury, burnout, boredom, and all those little blocks that get in the way of maintaining a lasting relationship with fitness. And, in un-learning them, my entire workout has changed for the better.

While some of these may feel like common sense, there's still a lot of misunderstanding in this area. So, I reached out two pros to get their take: Ame Bascomb (a T3 personal trainer at Equinox) and Jen Sinkler (trainer, writer, and author of Lift Weights Faster). Here's the truth behind the nine most prevalent fitness falsehoods that we just can't seem to let go of.