Experts give their best and worst fitness advice

There’s certainly no shortage of tips and tricks for getting in shape and staying that way, but there’s also a plethora of health and fitness advice that is just downright wrong, not to mention completely unhelpful! Unfortunately, it can be hard to know which tips to take on board and which to take with a pinch of salt. So, I asked a few fitness experts to weigh in on the most unforgettable advice they’ve received either because it was so good or so very, very bad…

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Best fitness advice

“True health and fitness starts in the mind. During my years as a personal trainer I saw hundreds of people at various stages of their health and fitness journeys, and all of the challenges and wins that went along with that. The only ones that managed to achieve their goals and maintain their results long-term were those who aligned their body with their mind and embraced working on themselves from an internal perspective as part of their plan.” – Laura Moore, personal trainer and founder ofUppy

“When you’re starting out a new fitness program, one of the worst things you can do is go too hard too early. [With] running, make sure you don’t increase your running distance by any more than 10 per cent per week. For example, if you run 5km one week, wait until the following week to increase it to 5.5km. Otherwise, you could set yourself up for injury.” – Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, former Australian runner and Can Too ambassador

“[The] best fitness advice I’ve ever received is to include weight and high-intensity training into my weekly exercise routine. Ever since I included these types of training my body has been in the best shape ever, my fitness levels are at their highest and I feel that my metabolism is at its most efficient.” – Elita Massarotti, Fernwood nutritionist

“Eat before you work out! Food is fuel, it will give you energy to perform better and stronger.” – Deanna Giuliani, personal trainer at Fernwood Melbourne City

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“Consistency is key. As is being realistic. It’s better to set a goal of three days of exercise a week and stick to it than to set a goal of five [days a week] and not go at all.” – Julie Condran, personal trainer at Fernwood Shellharbour

“I once heard the quote, ‘train smarter, not longer’ from another trainer which I love because people think you have to spend hours in the gym each day. Thirty minutes should be long enough if you work hard enough!” – Jennie Calleja, personal trainer at Fernwood Melbourne City

“Set small goals to achieve [while] on the road to your main goals. Small victories will keep you motivated!” – Stacey Pittaway, personal trainer at Fernwood Cannington

Worst fitness advice

“If you want to lose weight you need to eat mainly protein. As a health coach I can tell you that an imbalanced diet such as this will result in poor gut and kidney function meaning your body becomes toxic, bloated and depleted of energy, which leads to long-term weight gain, dehydration and even increases your risk of cancer.” – Laura Moore, personal trainer and founder of Uppy

“You have to hurt, sweat and shed tears to effectively exercise. [Contrary to this] if you train to the point of pain you can cause a lot of damage. Not only will it deter you from training long term, it puts a lot of strain on your body and you’ll be way more prone to injury. While you need to push yourself at times, to get better, you need to know your limits and when you’re going too far.” – Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, former Australian runner and Can Too ambassador

“The worst fitness advice I’ve ever received is to not lift weights because I’m a female and it wouldn’t look good if I had a muscly body. Ummmmm… EXCUSE ME? I am woman… watch me lift!” – Elita Massarotti, Fernwood nutritionist

“Crunches will give you abs. The truth is, yes crunches can strengthen your core, however if you carry excess weight or have a bad diet, [then] that six-pack won’t be possible. A crunch only works one part of your abdominal muscles.” – Deanna Giuliani, personal trainer at Fernwood Melbourne City

“Cardio training will tone your body. As I know as a personal trainer, the benefits of strength training far outweigh cardio.” – Julie Condran, personal trainer at Fernwood Shellharbour

“Someone once told me that weight training will make you bulky. I know this was a myth and terrible advice because I have seen through my own training as well as my clients that lifting weights can improve metabolism, tone and help reduce fat loss.” – Jennie Calleja, personal trainer at Fernwood Melbourne City

“One hundred sit-ups a day will give you abs!” – Stacey Pittaway, personal trainer at Fernwood Cannington

What’s the best and worst fitness advice you’ve ever received?