Workout myths

Q. "I've been lifting weights because I know it is good for me, but won't all those muscles turn to fat someday?"

A. Fear not! First, muscles don't turn into fat. When muscles aren't used, their strength and size do slowly deteriorate, but they don't become fat. What actually happens is a bit more complicated. According to a study from the 2004 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, most people naturally lose one-third to one-half of a pound of muscle each year. Because muscles use more calories than fat- even when you are at rest- your metabolic rate (the amount of calories your body needs every day) will decrease as those muscles become smaller. You end up needing fewer calories to keep your weight constant. If you stop exercising but keep eating the same number of calories, maintaining or losing weight becomes harder. Those extra calories can end up as body fat. Another reason not to shy away from the weight room: strength training challenges your bones, which helps to guard against osteoporosis.

So ladies keep lifting weights!

Quote of the week:
True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united.
-Alexander Von Humboldt

Bible Verse of the week:
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket, instead a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
- Matthew 5:15 NLT