Think you’re up to date with the basic rules of staying in shape? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you probably aren’t…
From the chowing down of five portions of fruit and veg a day rule, to walking laps around your printer in order to meet your daily 10 000 steps target, there are certain health commandments that we’ve long taken as gospel. But what if we told you that most of the research behind these go-to-fitness ‘facts’ is, how can we put this … flimsy? Because it is. So buckle up, we’re going on a fiction debunking ride…
THE MYTH
Aim to Walk 10 000 Steps a Day
Says who? The World Health Organization (for one), and almost all fitness apps and trackers (for another).
Past wisdom: Hitting 10 000 steps a day was seen as the way to help you lose weight while maintaining general fitness.
Actually… The whole idea was dreamed up by a Japanese marketing team in the ’60s in order to advertise a step counter. So, er, not exactly scientific.
The update: Of course, nobody is denying that walking is a good way to get gentle exercise, but the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) is now encouraging the idea of ‘Active 10’, which involves walking for 10 minutes daily in order to raise your heart rate, which has been shown to reduce the risk of early death by 15%.
THE MYTH
If Your BMI Says You’re Healthy … You’re Healthy
Says who? The NHS and many other health institutions.
Past wisdom: The BMI scale was devised in the 1800s (yes, during the same time period in which women were warned they’d be unable to fall pregnant if they were educated). It considers your weight in kilograms, divided by height in metres squared (between 18,5 and 24,9 is considered ‘healthy’).
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May - June 2019 من Cosmopolitan - South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May - June 2019 من Cosmopolitan - South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Marc Buckner
The Bachelor SA Season 2’s star is here to make you swoon. Find out why boss babes are ready to risk it all for this adventurous dog lover.
I Tested Positive For The Alzheimer's Gene At 26 Years Old
A DNA testing kit is like a crystal ball, but what if you don’t like what you see?
Basically No-One Has A 28-Day Menstrual Cycle
Brought to you by: the idea of a ‘normal’ period is a lie
For Those Times When You're Like, ‘I Love You, But You're Annoying...'
Coupledom can be hard!
How To Get Sh*t Done
Calling all procrastinators: sometimes getting started on a new project or goal can be the hardest part. Here’s how to stop putting it off and actually press go
Is Rage Bait Okay?
It has become the new engagement strategy for many brands. Companies bait their followers into engaging with their content around topics that cause outrage. But is this okay? Social -media strategists Talya Goldberg and Jabulile Dlamini -Qwesha share their views.
Is Cardio A Scam? And 7 Other Not-stupid Questions About Fitness Things
Thanks for calling 0800 -WTF- Is -This
Hold The Phone
Zozibini Tunzi is here to remind you all to Take. Up. Space. She’s rewriting the pageantry rulebook, and she wants you to join in (in a bath, wearing sparkly boots, because that’s just how we roll).
How To Tell It Like It Is *And Finally Get A Promotion*
Receiving constructive criticism on your work can be terrifying. But do it right and it can be a career game-changer.
What Makes A Compulsive Liar?
We all do it. Tell those lit t le white lies to ourselves, and others. But what about those for whom lying is a way of life? Catriona Harvey-Jenner investigates the rise of a new kind of scammer.
