The Most Common Cardio Myths

Have you also believed in cardio myths at some point?

No matter how much we research, these cardio myths and myths about fitness have become so common that we end up believing them.

But don’t worry. We’re here to bust all these myths!

It’s true that cardio is good for health, but the thing is, too much cardio might not be good either.

So, instead of following others and believing in these myths, it’s better to do your research and come up with facts. Otherwise, you’ll follow these myths with no effective results.

Myth#1: Do cardio on an empty stomach

Have you ever driven your car without fuel?

How does it work?

Well, imagine the same about your body.

Some people can exercise early in the morning on an empty stomach.

But it doesn’t work for everyone.

So, the common myth that fasted cardio is good isn’t that true anymore.

The thing is, fasted cardio will have its pros and cons. It might suit some, especially those who prefer exercising in the morning on an empty stomach.

For others, doing cardio in a fasted state might lead to lower energy and muscle breakdown. It’s because the body generates energy with the macronutrients, and if there aren’t enough carbs, proteins, and fats available, you’ll feel fatigued.

So, doing cardio on an empty stomach isn’t necessary. As the evidence of this fact is mixed, you should do what suits your body the most.

Myth#2: Only do cardio for weight loss

For a very long time, professionals believed that doing cardio is the only key to weight loss.

But this claim isn’t valid enough now.

Today, it is believed that a combination of exercises can help lose weight fast. It’s still true that cardio can help you lose weight. But it’s not the only exercise for weight loss.

In fact, doing too much cardio won’t give enough time for muscle recovery. It can also lead to fatigue and exhaustion, which may make regular exercise even more difficult.

So, make sure you also give importance to stretching and other exercises to work on other muscles as well.

Myth#3: Do at least 1 hour of cardio

One of the common cardio myths is that more cardio is better. 

In our fitness culture, we have started to believe that doing more exercise is necessary to reach your fitness goals. This leads to an “all or nothing” approach, where people believe that doing cardio daily is important to lose weight. This approach seems tough to many people as well, which leads them to leave exercise completely.

However, according to experts, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week is ideal for the body.

This means an hour of cardio daily is a myth. Instead, half an hour of cardio is enough. Also, adding a little cardio to your workout routine will work.

Myth#4: If you’re doing cardio, eat whatever you want

This is a common workout myth that as long as you’re exercising, you can eat whatever you want.

People often fail to realize that eating unhealthy food after exercise might make them gain the calories they tried to lose. 

In general, you can expect to burn at least 355 calories in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise. Still, the exact number of calories burned will depend on the exercise you choose and how long you’re doing it.

So, before eating too much, consider the “calories in, calories out” approach and eat accordingly to see better results.

Myth#5: You can only do cardio at the gym

Cardio is any exercise that increases your heart rate. Even exercises like walking and jumping can increase heart rate. So, it means that going to the gym isn’t the only way to do cardio.

As cardio is considered to be a strenuous exercise, most people, especially new gym-goers, believe that they cannot do cardio at home.

So, you can also count regular house chores, like cleaning, as part of your workout. Apart from this, a cardio session with exercises planned at home will also work if you cannot go to the gym.

Myth#6: Cardio will kill your gains

If cardio will kill your gains, why are we even doing it?

The purpose of such exercises is to build muscles.

If you’ve heard that cardio can destroy gains, it’s not true.

In fact, doing cardio the wrong way might destroy your gains.

Also, the research on strong and steady-state cardio training shows that it doesn’t have any negative impact on muscle gains.

However, you should still be careful while doing cardio because doing too much cardio or doing it the wrong way might cause muscle loss.

Take-away message

Cardio is a famous and effective exercise to include in your workout routine.

However, people have made their own cardio myths, which have led to a lot of confusion, especially among new gym-goers.

So, you can follow our guide on busting the common cardio myths and stay on track of your fitness journey with effective results.