Test Your Fitness Knowledge!

Does muscle weigh more than fat? No; A pound is a pound regardless of whether the pound is fat or muscle. The truth about muscle is that it's denser than fat and takes up a smaller amount of space in the body. In fact, scientists estimate that 1 pound of muscle occupies about 22% less space than 1 pound of fat! True or False | Maintaining physical fitness requires major lifestyle changes. False; Fitness can be achieved through small changes in what you eat and your level of activity. It's really that simple. Remember that you can start out slowly; work your way up to a higher level of activity, and implement more dietary changes over time. Patience is essential. Don't try to do too much too soon, and don't quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards of improved fitness and a healthy diet! True or False | "No pain, no gain" is a workout myth. "No pain, no gain" is a workout myth because while some muscle aches and pains are normal when beginning a new fitness routine, many types of pain are bad for you. According to Jeffrey Berg, an orthopedic surgeon and team physician for the Washington Redskins, "There are other aches and pains, such as joint pain, bone pain, muscle strains, and ligament or tendon strains, which are bad, and you should back off of because they'll get worse if you ignore them." He adds, "Always ease into an exercise plan to avoid injury. The recommendation is if you're healthy and you know it, you can start exercising, but err on the side of being too slow than too fast to avoid injury." True or False | Weight loss should be the most important goal of fitness and exercise. It's a fact that weight loss is the main reason people exercise at all, but losing weight is certainly not the only benefit of exercising and should therefore not be the main goal. If you're starting a fitness program, don't make weight loss your only goal! Strive to feel better or to have more energy. You'll get more out of your program if you notice the small payoffs that exercise provides in a very short amount of time. True or False | You should warm up before exercising. Each workout should begin with a warm-up. A warm-up should include 5 to 10 minutes of exercise such as walking, slow jogging, knee lifts, arm circles, and/or trunk rotations. Warming up is important to help prevent injury. True or False | The more you sweat during a workout, the more fat the body is burning. "This is false," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "[...]it doesn't correlate to how much energy, or calories, is being expended." True or False | Older adults are least likely to benefit from physical activity. Being physically active can prevent and help treat many of the most common chronic medical conditions associated with aging. Physical activity is one of the most important steps older adults can take to maintain physical and quality of life Active people need protein supplements to build muscles. Muscles develop from training and exercise. A certain amount of protein is needed to help build the muscles, but a nutritious, balanced diet will supply all of the protein that the muscles need. Even moderate exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Research shows that exercise is the silver bullet for a better quality of life. It reduces your risk for several chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Crunches and sit-ups are the best way to lose belly fat. Here is what works: a full-body exercise routine that builds lean muscle all over. The best plan for this is regular exercise, resistance training, and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet. Muscle burns calories even when the body is at rest. When you exercise, you use muscle. This helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories than body fat, even when the body at rest. According to Christopher Wharton, PhD, a certified personal trainer and researcher with the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, 10 pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories. The workout term "aerobic exercise" is interchangeable with which term? The term aerobic exercise or aerobics is interchangeable with the term cardio. Cardio refers to cardiovascular fitness exercises. Both terms refer to brisk physical activity that requires the heart and lungs to work harder to meet the body's increased oxygen demand. Aerobic exercise (cardio) promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood. Examples of aerobic exercise include running, swimming, and cycling.