March 2023 Movement For Life

by LAUREN WALKER

The Buzz on buzzwords

On the lighter side of exercise, here are some phrases or buzzwords people use which drive me bananas.

Toned

It is the top most worn out and misused word in exercise. I do not like this word. Have you ever stopped to wonder what it really means? The phrase “I want to look toned,” is a buzzword marketers like to use. I hate to say, it makes little to no sense. Those who use this phrase use it in the context of wanting to look muscular without being muscular. It doesn’t quite work this way. Muscularity is often associated with being a very masculine feature. Most women crinkle their nose and say, “I don’t want to look like that.” Someone cleverly decided to rephrase the term for “muscularity” in women as “toned”.

“I want to work my stomach”

People who say, “I want to work my stomach” are really referring to their abdominals. First of all, your stomach is where food goes. Your abdominal wall is a sheath of muscle which stabilizes your entire body. When you’re doing typical exercises like “sit ups” you are working your abdominals, not your stomach. “If you want to work your stomach, have a big meal!” My mom says.

“Muscle weighs more than fat”

What weighs more, five pounds of feathers or five pounds of bricks? Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat, it simply occupies a different amount of space in your body.

Here’s the buzz on buzzwords. Much of it is misinformation. I tend to treat things with a sense of humour. The best way to combat misinformation is to do your homework first. I hope this helps a bit.

Knowledge is power.

All Fit All Ages Gym is located in the Port Perry Food Basics plaza. Call 289-356-2140 for your free assessment.