12 days of fitness myths

This month, Alexandra Beck cuts through the seasonal noise to debunk the most common fitness myths.

Photograph: wal_172619 - Pixabay

Text: Alexandra Beck

Every December, social media fills with “12 days of” lists – cookies, cocktails, kindness challenges. So let’s unwrap something that won’t leave you with regret in January: the 12 days of fitness myths.

After almost 6 years of training people through cold Danish winters, I’ve heard just about every excuse and misunderstanding out there. These are the ones I’d most like to retire before the New Year.

Day 1: “I’ll start after Christmas.”

Your body doesn’t know it’s December. Movement isn’t punishment for overeating; it’s maintenance for feeling good. Even 10 minutes a day keeps you connected to your body and helps you avoid that dreadful January “restart.”

Day 2: “No pain, no gain.”

Soreness doesn’t equal success. Progress should challenge you, not cripple you. If you can’t sit down or lift your arms for three days, you’ve gone too far. The real “gain” is consistent effort over time – not survival of the sorest.

Day 3: “Cardio is the best way to lose fat.”

Cardio burns calories while you’re doing it. Muscle burns calories all day, even when you’re on the sofa. Strength training is your metabolic investment account, paying dividends for years.

Day 4: “Weights make women bulky.”

Unless you’re secretly injecting testosterone and eating six chickens a day, you’ll be fine. Strength training gives shape, tone, and confidence. The so-called “bulk” is usually just new muscle, revealing where the old myth lived.

Day 5: “I can spot-reduce fat.”

You can’t crunch your way to abs or tricep-dip your way out of bingo wings. Fat loss happens systemically, not locally. But you can strengthen and define those areas so that when fat is reduced overall, you see the results.

Day 6: “I need to train every day.”

Rest is a training day. It’s when the repair, rebuilding, and hormonal reset happen. Overtraining doesn’t make you fitter; it makes you tired and cranky. Two or three quality strength sessions and some active recovery go further than daily burnout.

Day 7: “If I skip a week, I’ll lose all my progress.”

Not true. Strength is loyal. Take a week off and your body remembers. Take a month off, and it forgives if you come back smart. What you do most of the time matters far more than what you do occasionally.

Day 8: “Men and women should train differently.”

Muscles don’t know gender; they know stimulus. Both men and women benefit from squats, presses, and pull-ups. The difference lies in life stages – pregnancy, menopause, and andropause – which require adjustments in volume and recovery, not entirely different exercises.

Day 9: “I’m too old to start.”

My favourite myth to crush. I’ve seen people in their 60s and 70s start lifting and feel stronger than they did decades earlier. Strength, balance, and energy can all be rebuilt. Movement is the ultimate anti-ageing serum, and it’s free.

Day 10: “If I eat clean, I don’t need to watch calories.”

Avocado toast still has calories. “Clean” foods can be high in fat or carbs. Awareness beats restriction. If you track occasionally, you’ll learn portion sizes and balance. And yes, you can still have wine and dessert – just not both every night.

Day 11: “Sweating means it’s working.”

Sweat cools your body; it doesn’t measure effort. You can sweat in a sauna without getting fitter. The hardest work often looks calm – like controlled lifting, slow eccentric squats, or holding a plank that makes your inner voice swear quietly.

Day 12: “I need motivation to work out.”

Motivation gets you started; discipline keeps you going. You don’t brush your teeth because you’re inspired – you do it because it’s hygiene. Think of movement as body hygiene. Some days it’s fun, other days it’s routine, but it always pays off.

The wrap-up

If you recognise yourself in any of these myths, you’re in good company. The fitness world thrives on extremes – detox teas, miracle transformations, endless “before and after” photos – but the truth is much simpler. Move often, lift heavy (for you), eat with awareness, rest with intention, and start again.

The holidays are a perfect time to reframe your goals. Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for maintenance. Instead of guilt, aim for awareness. Instead of waiting until January, start with one small, positive action today.

Believe me, the best gift you can give yourself isn’t under the tree – it’s the one that keeps you feeling strong, mobile, and ready for life all year long.