If you’re new to fitness training, or a seasoned athlete, you might unknowingly get stuck reading fitness fiction. Bad advice can make achieving your goals next to impossible.

Health and fitness is not just a week-long journey; it is a life-long pursuit. Each new gain should bring about a slew of new goals: If you lose 5kgs, sign up for a group run, if you reach a new squat goal, see what you can do about your deadlift. There’s no end to how far you can take your fitness. The problem for most is just getting started.

As a beginner, you may fall prey to the inconsistencies and falsehoods spread by the uneducated and the untrained. The best way to go into the fitness world is through the doors of knowledge. If you learn a little before you start, you’ll be much better equipped to deal with setbacks, nutrition questions, plateaus and training debacles. The industry is full of myths that unfortunately can be discouraging to people that want to get started. So in this article I will present and debunk some of the most typical myths that you may encounter as a newbie in the fitness world.

1st mythONE CAN SPOT REDUCE FAT IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA. AS AN EXAMPLE YOU CAN REDUCE BELLY FAT OR FAT IN THE ARMS BY JUST WORKING OUT THOSE AREAS.

TRUTHSpot reduction is not possible, unless one goes for liposuction surgery which is very expensive and a health risk.

2nd mythYOU CANNOT BE FIT PAST THE AGE OF 40.

TRUTHAge does bring wear and tear, but one can be fit at any age be it 40 or 60, it may be a little challenging than when you were younger but it is possible. New research suggests that being healthy and fit in your early 30s will significantly reduce the risk of health related issue as you get older.

3rd mythTHE MORE YOU SWEAT THE MORE FAT YOU LOSE

TRUTHSweat has nothing to do with fat loss, it is your body’s way of regulating temperature, fat is oxidized inside your body, and it is not going to vaporize because you are sweating

4th myth DOING CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS WILL HELP YOU GET LEANER FASTER

TRUTHIf you run on a treadmill before you hit the weights, you’ll be too fatigued to train. You need muscle, not miles to burn fat.

5th mythTHE ONLY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT IS BY CUTTING OUT ALL CARBS

TRUTHThe way to lose the right amount of weight is by adopting a nutrition plan that supports your goal, training with weights, and doing some cardio. Your program should include all of these aspects long enough to see a difference. Nutrition, weights, and cardio - the holy trinity of fitness!

6th mythIF YOU WANT TO GET IN SHAPE, YOU HAVE TO RUN FOR LONG DISTANCES

TRUTHYour fitness success depends upon your goal. If you want to be able to run 10km without breaking a sweat, then yes, you’ll have to run.

If your goal is fat loss or muscle gain, running for miles and miles may not be the best way to lose pounds. The more efficient your body becomes at running, the fewer calories you’ll burn.

7th mythBIG MUSCLES ARE STRONG MUSCLES

TRUTHThere’s a difference between training your muscles to be big and training your muscles to be strong. For physique athletes, size and shape - not strength - is the ultimate goal. For athletes, strength for maximum effort is most important.

I’m not saying that big muscles aren’t strong, but put a bodybuilder and an Olympic lifter in front of a loaded barbell and see who can clean the most weight. Either person is capable of being strong or built - it’s all a matter of training for a specific goal.

So to summarize this article, each trainer will have their own preferred approach to fitness and health. There are many ways for you to achieve your goals, however first step is always for you to define your own goals, be realistic about your commitment, how many days a week you can workout. If you chose to work with a trainer you should always have a conversation with him or her, before you begin the first workout. Why? Because it allows you to see that this person has the right approach to your goals and that they are listening to what you are asking for.

The writer is a professional fitness trainer