For context, I've probably written a version of this post several times over the last seventeen years that I’ve been blogging (often with repeatable themes). There will always be misconceptions in the fitness and health industry. I get that it can be so confusing when you have several different credentialed professionals disagreeing on health topics; then you add in the noise from popular influencers, people selling the latest quick fix, and others online posting controversial takes for views and clicks. It’s a lot for the average person who cares about health to muddy through.
I said in a recent blog post that I thought maybe the tide was turning a bit in popular media away from the diet culture I grew up with in the 90s and more towards women lifting heavy weights, eating to fuel themselves, and getting strong on purpose. But I ended up on the wrong side of Threads and was reminded that I was really mistaken. What I usually see in my social media feeds is the result of my perfectly orchestrated algorithm, based on my interests and preferences. Most people aren't following evidence-based practitioners; they are listening to celebrities and influencers.
I could go on for days, but I thought I would break down the top five health and fitness misconceptions I see specifically for midlife women. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it), this isn’t a gotcha post. Perfectly smart and capable people hold some of these beliefs. In my journey, I have as well. If you walk away with one thing, I hope it is that a lot of the noise is an effort to sell something: a program, a book, or a coach that knows some secret all other coaches don’t know (of course, that’s not true). Most of it is a play on our insecurities, to sell us their solution. Others are pure, unadulterated diet culture, the false belief that the only important goal is being as small as possible.
Let’s put an end to it once and for all, or at least until I feel compelled to write a new version of this blog in a couple of years. hah. I thought I would share the misconception, the kernel of truth people latch onto, and then a realistic and helpful way to frame it. Let’s go.
#5 MISCONCEPTION: Lifting Weights Makes You Bulky; Pilates and Yoga Give You Long and Lean Muscles
Kernel of Truth:
Lifting weights will make your muscles bigger and stronger. It can also increase your overall body weight because muscle is denser than fat. In addition, when you start a new lifting routine, your muscles retain more water and glycogen, which can make the scale read higher.
The Reality:
Muscles have only two primary responses to training: they either grow larger (hypertrophy) through progressive overload, or they shrink (atrophy) due to regression or lack of use. While a beginner can build some muscle with Pilates and Yoga, those methods eventually lack the progressive overload needed to continue building muscle and strength. Ultimately, you cannot train a muscle to become longer or leaner. To ‘tone’ means to grow muscle. While Pilates and Yoga offer incredible physical benefits (stability, flexibility, core control, mobility, among others), progressively building muscle is not their primary outcome.
If your definition of bulky is having more muscle, then yes, lifting weights will build muscle, but that is actually what creates the look most people want. Muscle takes up less space in the body than fat. This means that when you build muscle, you end up leaner, tighter, and more shapely, even at a higher body weight. Best of all, that extra muscle gives you a faster and more flexible metabolism.
If you have ever seen a woman and thought she looked too muscular, I can guarantee she spent years, if not decades, of highly intentional training and nutrition to achieve that look, possibly with performance-enhancing drugs. It is incredibly difficult for women to build that much muscle; it doesn't happen by accident. If a woman reaches that level, she did it on purpose through immense effort over a very long period of time.
#4 Misconception: Carbs Make you Fat
Kernel of Truth:
A lot of junk food is carbohydrates: potato chips, ice cream, pastries, cake, basically anything with sugar. If someone gives up carbs, it can be an easy way to cut most junk food from their diet, which can help them enter a calorie deficit to lose weight.
The Reality:
Carbohydrates are the body and brain’s preferred fuel source. Healthy, whole food carbohydrates (like fruits, vegetables, potatoes, oats, rice, etc.) give you energy, help you recover and improve fitness after workouts, and are muscle-sparing (which just means your body will use carbohydrates for fuel instead of breaking down your hard-earned muscle for energy). Weight gain is driven by an overall caloric surplus in the diet, not by any single macronutrient. Besides, a well-rounded, balanced diet is usually the easiest to stick to for a long time, and that is the key to lasting results.
#3 MISCONCEPTION: Your Metabolism Slows Down Drastically in Middle Age Causing Weight Gain
Kernel of Truth:
If we don’t take intentional steps to prevent it, we naturally lose 3-8% of muscle mass (sarcopenia) per decade, starting around age 30. After 60, the muscle loss increases 5-10% per decade without intervention.
The Reality:
That natural muscle loss, combined with a sedentary lifestyle that often comes with adult jobs and responsibilities, can cause metabolic adaptation that feels like it came on with age, when it actually was brought on by lifestyle. The great news is that we can prevent (and reverse) age-related muscle loss by lifting weights. Muscle increases metabolism, improves posture, ease of movement, and strength. And age doesn’t prevent you from building muscle; we can improve at any age.
Increasing daily activity and building muscle will reverse a lot of what we perceive as midlife metabolism slow down. It can be helpful to talk to your doctor as well, but I find it incredibly liberating to realize I have more control that I thought.
#2 MISCONCEPTION: Running Spikes Cortisol in Perimenopausal Women (So You Should Stop)
Kernel of Truth:
High-intensity activity temporarily spikes cortisol (the stress hormone). Progesterone and Estrogen normally help regulate cortisol, but with fluctuations in perimenopause, this can get off balance.
The Reality:
Cortisol keeps us alive; without it, we would literally die. It’s higher in the morning to start our day, and it spikes during exercise. This actually helps you adapt to become more resilient towards everyday stress. The problem was never with normal cortisol fluctuations, but with chronically elevated levels. This is typically not associated with the spike from exercise itself but when it’s combined with insufficient sleep, inadequate recovery, or poor nutrition (undernourishment).
Excessive amounts of cardio, especially without weight training or enough recovery, can have a poor outcome for midlife women, but this does not translate to mean that a woman in perimenopause shouldn’t ever run, especially if she enjoys it. As usual, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Find the appropriate amount that you can reasonably recover from for the best results.
#1 MISCONCEPTION: You Lose More Fat in the Fat-Burning Zone (ZONE 2)
Kernel of Truth.
When we train at lower intensities, your body uses a higher percentage of fat than carbs as a fuel source. This is why you see ‘Fat-Burning Zone’ on your treadmill or hear a lot of talk about zone two training as a way to use fat for fuel.
The Reality:
Using fat as a fuel source (fat oxidation) during a workout is not the same as losing fat from your body over time. While it is true that lower-intensity activities use a higher percentage of fat (fatty acids in the bloodstream) as a fuel source than higher-intensity activities, the higher-intensity activities usually burn more absolute fat and calories overall.
Fat loss is driven by a calorie deficit. If you do all your activity in the fat-burning zone, but eat more calories than you burn on average, you will gain weight. For fat loss, the total amount of calories is more important than what fuel your muscles prefer during an exercise session. The best results come from mixing both high- and low-intensity workouts. This balance allows you to manage physical stress, recover properly, and give your body different ways to adapt and grow stronger.
How’s That Working For You?
It's not hard to understand why people can get confused. There are smart people making compelling arguments and a lot of time, it FEELS true. In the end, the best we can all do, is look at these things like an experiment, and see what works for us as individuals.
Asking "How is this working for me?" and being honest about your outcomes will give you the most accurate answers. You are the expert on your own body. Trust what it is telling you over what an influencer is selling you.
Questions? I’d love to help.
Lea
There is no greater compliment than a referral!
Lea Genders is a board-certified health coach, personal trainer, and workplace wellness consultant based in Fort Worth, TX. She offers corporate wellness programs for employee health and productivity, as well as in-person and virtual training / coaching for individuals worldwide. Her blog shares expert guidance on strength training, running, and sustainable nutrition @fortworth_trainer
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There is so much confusion in the health and fitness industry right now, often built on a tiny kernel of truth that gets blown out of proportion. In this post, I'm busting five of the most common fitness misconceptions with simple science, kindness, and reality, so you can stop stressing and start doing what actually works for your body.