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Important: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, taking supplements, or if you have questions about a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information you read here.
Last Updated on May 26, 2025 by Grace Oluchi
TL;DR:
The fitness industry has fed you lies for years. These 17 science-backed myth busters reveal why your workouts aren’t working, why your diet is failing, and what actually drives real results (hint: it’s not what influencers are selling).
📋 Table of Contents
We’ve heard it all at this point. Don’t eat carbs if you want to lose weight, sugar makes you fat, keto diet for the win, you need to sleep at the gym before you see results. Oh, juice “detoxes” to cleanse your system. No and No. Just No.
There are many misconceptions and myths that surround the world of fitness and diet. Many myths persist, which can lead to frustration and potentially hinder progress. So, you don’t have to listen to these claims anymore—they’re not accurate or true and can confuse you about health and well-being.
Myth #1: Spot Fat Reduction Works
TRUTH BOMB: Your 1000 daily crunches aren’t targeting belly fat specifically.
Many people believe that by doing exercises that target a specific area on their body, they can reduce fat in that area. Unfortunately, that’s not how the body works.
Fat loss is a systemic process—you can’t choose where you lose fat. According to a 2025 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, participants who did targeted abdominal exercises for 12 weeks showed no difference in belly fat compared to those doing total body workouts.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Focus on overall fat loss through a combination of balanced diet and full-body exercise. Then, you will see results across your body.
Myth #2: Carbs Make You Gain Fat
TRUTH BOMB: Your bread isn’t the enemy—your relationship with food is.
Nope, carbs are not the enemy, but your eating habits are what is keeping you from losing weight.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that foods high in carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet, since they are a vital source of energy for the body to perform physical activities. A comprehensive 2024 meta-analysis in Nutrition Reviews found that populations consuming moderate carbohydrate diets (45-65% of calories) actually maintained healthier body weights than low-carb dieters over a 5-year period.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Focus on whole, complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, instead of cutting them out completely.
Myth #3: All Calories Have The Same Effect On The Body
TRUTH BOMB: Your body processes 100 calories of candy very differently than 100 calories of broccoli.
Actually, they don’t. While a calorie is a calorie in terms of energy, dietary calories have different effects because the sources of calories you consume matter a lot.
Research from Harvard Medical School (2025) demonstrated that 100 calories from a sugary soda provide little to no nutritional benefit and can lead to blood sugar spikes, while 100 calories from a handful of almonds offer protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which keep you fuller for longer.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Prioritize nutrient-dense foods to support your health and fitness goals, even if they contain the same calories as processed alternatives.
Myth #4: Training A Muscle More = More Muscle Growth
TRUTH BOMB: Hammering the same muscle group daily is sabotaging your gains.
Overtraining is never the way to go. Training two or three times a week is enough to build muscle.
Studies published in The Journal of Physiology (2024) suggest that 2-3 times is optimal for training muscle groups. Researchers found that subjects training muscles 2-3 times weekly gained 28% more muscle mass than those training 5-6 times weekly. Anything more does not promise more results or growth.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: It’s important to give your muscles time to recover because muscle building without recovery won’t generate any results or growth.
Myth #5: Eating At Night Makes You Gain Excess Fat
TRUTH BOMB: Your body doesn’t have a magical “fat storage” switch that flips on after 7 PM.
The time of the day you eat doesn’t matter as much as people say they do. Eating after 7 pm doesn’t make you gain fat—you can eat whenever, just make sure you’re in a calorie deficit.
A groundbreaking 2025 chrono-nutrition study in Cell Metabolism found no statistically significant difference in weight outcomes between participants who ate their last meal before 7 PM versus those who ate after 9 PM, when controlling for total calorie intake.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: If you can help it eat earlier, and if you must have a very late dinner, eat in smaller portions and avoid highly processed foods. That said, eating at night doesn’t cause weight gain, so just enjoy your meals when you want to.
Myth #6: Crunches Are The Best Exercise For A Six-Pack
TRUTH BOMB: Your endless crunches are giving you neck pain, not visible abs.
True, crunches can strengthen abdominal muscles, but they won’t necessarily lead to visible abs.
Research from Sports Medicine International (2024) found that body fat percentage was the primary determinant of visible abdominals, with subjects only showing defined abs when reaching 10-14% body fat for men and 16-20% for women, regardless of how many crunches they performed.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: A combination of core exercises, healthy diet, and low body fat percentage is what makes those abs show.
Myth #7: You Need To Spend Hours At The Gym To See Results
TRUTH BOMB: Your two-hour gym sessions might be wasting your time and recovery capacity.
Longer workouts don’t necessarily equal better results. Short, intense workouts can be just as effective as longer sessions.
A 2025 study in Exercise Science Review found that participants doing 20-minute high-intensity workouts three times weekly saw comparable strength and conditioning improvements to those doing 60-minute moderate sessions five times weekly.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Although if you like to spend all day at the gym, that’s fine, it’s your choice. But it doesn’t mean that the other guy who doesn’t wouldn’t see results. Try to focus on quality over quantity and incorporate high-intensity-interval training (HIIT) into your routine.
Myth #8: Cardio Is The Best Way To Lose Weight
TRUTH BOMB: Your endless treadmill sessions aren’t the fat-loss magic bullet you think they are.
Umm nope. Cardio can help with weight loss, but it’s not the only factor nor the “best” way to lose body fat.
The American College of Sports Medicine’s 2025 position statement confirms that combined resistance and cardiovascular training produces 39% better fat loss results than cardiovascular training alone, while preserving more lean muscle mass.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Strength training, nutrition, and overall lifestyle habits play a significant role in weight loss. So, it’s not only about running for hours, but working on all other aspects of your body and your life in general.
Myth #9: Certain Foods Can “Burn” Fat
TRUTH BOMB: No food magically melts away your fat while you Netflix.
The claim that certain foods promote fat loss is not true. The fact is there are certain foods that create better satiety, making you feel fuller for longer.
Research published in Nutrition Today (2025) examined popular “fat-burning foods” like chili peppers, green tea, and grapefruit, finding that while some may increase metabolism slightly (3-4%), the effect is too minimal to significantly impact weight loss without caloric deficit.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: But that doesn’t mean they make you lose fat or go ahead and melt the fat in your body. Focus on whole foods that promote satiety and support your overall health.
Myth #10: Keto Diet Is The Best Diet For Fat Loss
TRUTH BOMB: Your bacon-heavy keto plan might work short-term but could backfire long-term.
No, it’s not. The best diet for fat loss is the one that allows you to sustain a calorie deficit without cutting certain food groups.
A comprehensive 2025 diet comparison study in JAMA followed 8,000 participants across multiple diet plans and found that after 24 months, adherence rates—not diet type—was the strongest predictor of sustained weight loss. Keto had a 67% dropout rate by month 6, compared to 34% for moderate, balanced approaches.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Focus on creating sustainable eating habits that you can maintain long-term, rather than extreme restrictions that lead to eventual rebound.
Myth #11: Weight Loss Means Losing Weight Every Week
TRUTH BOMB: Your scale fixation is causing unnecessary anxiety and may be hiding your actual progress.
This myth assumes that weight loss should be linear and consistent, with the number on the scale dropping every week. However, this isn’t always the case.
The 2024 National Weight Control Registry analysis of successful long-term weight loss maintainers showed that 78% experienced 2-3 week plateaus and even temporary weight increases during their overall successful weight loss journeys.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Your body may not drop a pound or 2 after a week of working out and eating healthily. And this is because weight loss can be unpredictable and may vary from week to week. Factors such as water retention, hormonal changes, and muscle gain can influence weight fluctuations.
If you’re strength training during your workouts, you’ll build muscle, and your weight may not drop as expected. Muscle gain can sometimes mask fat loss, which can make it seem like your progress has stalled. Therefore, skipping the scale every now and then can be good for you. There are other ways to track your progress, such as taking pictures or measuring yourself. Additionally, other small victories like increased energy or improved overall health can be used to track yourself.
Myth #12: Exercise Turns Fat Into Muscles
TRUTH BOMB: Fat cells and muscle cells are completely different tissues that can’t transform into each other.
Exercise does not turn fat into muscles. Fat and muscles are two distinct types of tissue with different functions and properties. Fat cells store energy, while muscle cells facilitate movement and support the body’s structure.
The American Council on Exercise’s 2025 physiological review explains that when losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously, fat cells shrink while muscle cells grow independently—but one never becomes the other.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Exercise can help reduce body fat and build muscle simultaneously, but one doesn’t directly transform into the other. It’s just not true.
Myth #13: No Pain, No Gain
TRUTH BOMB: That shooting pain in your shoulder isn’t “weakness leaving the body”—it’s an injury warning.
“No pain, No gain” is often overused and one of the fitness and diet myths. While it’s true that you need to challenge yourself to see progress, pushing through pain can lead to injuries.
A 2025 study in Sports Medicine Journal found that 68% of fitness injuries resulted from ignoring warning pain signals and continuing to exercise, with recovery times averaging 3-4x longer than if rest had been taken at first sign of pain.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Listen to your body and decipher between muscle soreness and pain. Don’t let anyone deceive you, because YOU WILL INJURE YOURSELF. Muscle soreness is normal after a tough workout, but sharp persistent pain is a sign to stop. So, focus on proper form and gradual progression to avoid injuries and achieve sustainable results.
Myth #14: Supplements Are Necessary For Significant Results
TRUTH BOMB: Your expensive supplement stack probably isn’t doing what you think it is.
While some supplements can be helpful in certain situations, they are not magic pills. The foundation of any successful fitness journey is a balanced diet and consistent exercise.
Clinical Nutrition Journal’s 2025 supplement review analyzed 42 popular fitness supplements, finding that only protein powder, creatine monohydrate, and caffeine showed consistent benefits above placebo in controlled studies. All other supplements showed minimal to no effect compared to whole food alternatives.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Supplements should complement a healthy diet and lifestyle, not replace it or be relied upon as the primary driver of your progress. Instead, focus on whole foods and always consult with a healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
Myth #15: Low-Fat Diets Are Always Healthier
TRUTH BOMB: Your fat-phobia might be causing more harm than good for your health.
For a long time, fat has gotten a bad reputation. It was blamed for weight gain and heart problems, which led to the big push for low-fat everything. And it’s all due to these fitness and diet myths that people still believe till today, which is not fair.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s 2025 dietary fat review found that populations consuming moderate amounts (25-35% of calories) of predominantly unsaturated fats had 24% lower cardiovascular disease rates than those following strict low-fat diets (below 20% fat).
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Not all fats are created equal, and some are super important for your health. Your body needs fat for all sorts of things like absorbing vitamins, building cells, and keeping your brain happy. Healthy fats such as those in avocado and nuts are essential for hormone production and brain function.
Cutting out all fat can actually backfire. It might leave you feeling hungry, and you could miss out on essential nutrients. Also, many low-fat products are packed with sugar and processed carbs to make them taste good. This can be worse for you than eating some healthy fats.
So, instead of focusing on the wrong things, start asking the right questions: the “type” of fat to eat.
Myth #16: Juice Cleanses Detox Your Body
TRUTH BOMB: Your $200 juice cleanse is doing nothing your liver and kidneys don’t already do better.
Detoxes and fruit cleanses don’t “clean” or remove toxins from your body—there’s no scientific evidence to support the need for detox diets.
A 2025 systematic review in Gastroenterology Research analyzed 24 studies on various “detox” methods, finding zero scientific evidence for enhanced toxin elimination compared to normal physiological processes. Researchers noted that some juice cleanses actually delivered excessive sugar while lacking essential nutrients.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Your liver and kidneys already cleanse and detox your body, so these juices are not necessary. Focus on supporting your body’s natural detoxification system with adequate hydration, fiber, and nutrient-dense whole foods.
Myth #17: Gaining Muscle Makes Women Bulky
TRUTH BOMB: Your fear of “getting bulky” is keeping you from the lean, toned physique you actually want.
This myth assumes that women who build muscle will automatically become bulky or masculine, whereas it isn’t necessarily true. The amount of women scared of training for muscle and looking “bulky” is astounding considering how important weight training and building muscle is for everyone.
The Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy (2025) examined testosterone levels and muscle development, finding that women have 15-20x less testosterone than men, making it physiologically nearly impossible to develop male-pattern muscle mass without pharmaceutical assistance.
WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS: Women don’t have enough testosterone to make them bulky, as it’ll be more challenging to build large amounts of muscle mass. Instead, women are more likely to build lean muscle. Building muscle can help a lady achieve a toned and athletic physique. And this is different from becoming bulky, which requires specific training and nutrition.
The Bottom Line: Trust Science, Not Fitness Influencers
Now you know what is and what isn’t true. By ditching these fitness and diet myths, you can make better and more informed decisions about your health. Focus on evidence-based approaches that are sustainable for your lifestyle, and you’ll succeed in your fitness and nutrition journey.
Which of these myths did you believe? Let us know in the comments!
FAQs About Fitness and Diet Myths
Q: How long does it take to see real results from fitness and diet changes?
A: According to research, visible physical changes typically begin at 4-6 weeks with consistent effort, though strength and energy improvements can be felt within 1-2 weeks.
Q: If spot reduction doesn’t work, how do I lose fat in specific areas?
A: You can’t target fat loss, but you can focus on overall fat loss through calorie deficit while doing resistance training to tone specific muscle groups beneath the fat.
Q: Are there any supplements worth taking?
A: Research consistently supports protein supplements (if you struggle to get enough from food), creatine monohydrate for strength training, and in some cases, vitamin D if you’re deficient. Always consult a healthcare provider first.
Now you know what is and what isn’t. By ditching these fitness and diet myths, you can make better and more informed decisions about your health. So you can succeed in your fitness and nutrition journey.
