Mathews McGarry is passionate about many forms of strength training, and has spent years lifting, dragging and flipping all manner of heavy objects. After graduating from the Faculty of Health Sciences, he started writing about his experiences, and sharing tips for a better life. He is an all-around fitness adviser and his words are strong as an Australian Bull.  Follow Mathews on Twitter and Facebook!

Guest Post by Mathews McGarry for Anna Susanne * The Travelling Pixie

Everybody wants to sculpt their body effortlessly and quickly. Let us disappoint you right now by saying that there simply is no magic formula to apply in order to achieve one’s goals. The road to a healthy and attractive body is paved with hard work and coated with thick layers of sweat and tears, and this is the way it is supposed to be – after a ton of effort, looking back at what you have achieved comes as a blessing. Unfortunately, newsstands and the Internet are swarming with health and workout magazines which use lies to get a hold on your money. We’ve come up with this article in order to whisk away their money-grabbing tyranny and direct you at the right path towards a healthy and a good-looking body.

1. You can stuff yourself with junk food and still achieve your goals – Well, unless your goals are a multi-layered pot belly, this is an utter lie. The key towards a disciplined and well-balanced diet is figuring out exactly what all those fast food vendors are cramming down your throat. In truth, there is nothing too nutritious and healthy when it comes to junk food. If you have absolutely no desire for it (which we doubt is the case), you should ebb away from it. However, cutting out tasty food completely out of your diet will leave you craving for it, until an eventual moment of breakdown, which tends to work like a broken dam, leading you into spiraling out of control, food-wise. Instead of trusting the treacherous articles or completely cutting junk food out of your diet, reward yourself with an occasional burger once a week.
2. Get flat abs in [insert an incredibly short time period here] – This one is one of the most common fitness lies. There is no universal program when it comes to abs out there, seeing as how the abdominal muscle structure differs from person to person. The best ab workout is probably the most difficult one – doing planks. This exercise not only provides you with a toned appearance, but also gives you a firm and stable core, crucial for even the most simple of daily activities and supporting your backbone. None of this is important, however, when you have a hefty amount of fat cushions around your waist. No matter how firm your abs get, in order for them to emerge from the wobbly skin in this region, you’ll need to get rid of all that abdominal fat, which is done through a healthy, low-fat diet and a lot of exercise.

3. Women shouldn’t lift weights – Contrary to popular belief, lifting weights doesn’t necessarily induce muscle growth. Yes, if you lift, your muscles will get toned, but their growth is based mostly on the number of reps per set, as well as the amount of carbs and protein you take in daily. If you’re looking for lean muscle mass, you are looking at an increased number of repetitions, lifting minimal weight. Additionally, to your potential surprise, lifting weights can do wonders for fat loss. By incorporating many of your muscles, you increase blood flow within your body, speeding up your metabolism, which is directly related to copious amounts of fat loss. In conclusion, women should definitely give weightlifting a go.

4. Supplements are all you need – Taking pills is quite a slippery slope – you do not exactly know what’s being distributed to you. Furthermore, there are many fat burner commercials out there, which will pitch the lie that you can remain sedentary while losing weight. If you’re hell-bent on taking supplements in order to lose weight, gain muscle, or generally achieve your goal, you need to make sure that you follow it up with quality exercises. The best way towards your dream body is by using scientifically proven methods and approved supplements, such as Legion Forge, which promotes weight loss, without the loss of muscle mass. Keep in mind, though, that the best possible results are achieved through workout, and quality supplements only come as an extra benefit of dedication and persistence.

5. Trainers are useless – The best possible way to make sure you’re doing every exercise by the book, with minimal risk of injury is by having a fitness trainer. These experts will show you how to correctly do any exercise, help you spot out the errors you’re making and, perhaps most importantly, give you an incredible morale boost. Instead of trusting fitness magazines, you shouldn’t refrain from setting aside a bit of money for a personal trainer.

These are only five of the most popular lies that fitness magazines have to offer. However, by using a little bit of common sense, you can easily avoid putting your money into their corporate pockets and achieve great results!

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