Myth: Always Stretch Before Exercising

Forbes.com: 10 Fitness Myths Exposed

While this is the traditional advice, Wiedenbach says stretching before a workout weakens the muscles and may increase the risk of injury. He advises warming up beforehand, and stretching afterwards.
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Myth: Exercise C... Personal trainer Maik Wiedenbach, author of "101 Fitness Myths," says 80% of what you look like is based on your diet.
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Myth: You Just N... Muscle tone is not the problem, says Wiedenbach. You need to lose fat in order to make muscles visible.
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: Men And Wo... Because both sexes have the same body structures, hormonal differences alone do not warrant drastically different workouts by men and women, says Wiedenbach.
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Myth: Women Shou... Wiedenbach says this one's really pervasive and totally wrong because in order to change your body shape you need to challenge the muscles. The resistance of 3-lb lady weights is too small to make a major difference.
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Top 10 Food Trends
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: Always Str... While this is the traditional advice, Wiedenbach says stretching before a workout weakens the muscles and may increase the risk of injury. He advises warming up beforehand, and stretching afterwards.
(Getty Images)

More from Forbes:
Top 10 Food Trends
Eight Easy Tips To Move More At Work
The 10 Best Foods You Can Eat

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: You Can Sp... Unfortunately this one's a myth, Wiedenbach says. No matter how many crunches you do, if your overall body fat percentage is too high, you won't achieve chiseled abs.
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Top 10 Food Trends
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: You'll Bur... The only time you burn fats exclusively is when you're sleeping, says Wiedenbach. He advises doing interval training--a mix of high and low intensity--to burn more fat.
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Top 10 Food Trends
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: You'll Bur... This may be true, Wiedenbach says, but you'll also be stripping down muscle, which negates the effort. He advises not exercising on an empty stomach.
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: Shakes Are... Because they're liquid and contain cheap protein and not enough fiber, shakes don't keep you feeling full, says Wiedenbach. Whole foods are the better alternative.
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Myth: Eat Only T... There's nothing wrong with the egg yolks, says Wiedenbach. They have vitamins and protein, keep you feeling fuller for longer and do not affect your cholesterol balance negatively.
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
The 10 Best Food... According to an analysis by David Grotto, a registered dietician and author of the book "The Best Things You Can Eat," these 10 foods are the lowest calories and most nutritious in terms of amount and richness of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber and protein.
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