Top 5 Women’s Fitness Myths
Misinformation about fitness has been around for a long time, but recently, fear-mongering seems to be targeting women in particular—with countless myths about how to build muscle and manage weight.
Dr. Lauren Semple was recently featured on one of my favorite podcasts, The Docs Who Lift, where she worked to debunk several of these common myths. I’ve summarized their discussion below. You can listen to the full episode here.
1) Fasted workouts burn more fat than fueled workouts.
False. Long-term studies show that whether you train in a fasted or fed state, the overall effect on body fat is the same.
And while we’re at it—the idea that morning workouts are harmful due to high cortisol levels is also a myth. The truth? The best time to exercise is whenever you can stick with it. Find a time that works for your schedule and build consistency.
2) All menopausal women should be on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), take creatine, or supplement with magnesium.
False. Be cautious of "cure-all" claims. While HRT can be helpful for some women managing menopause symptoms, it is not approved for weight loss or lean mass gains.
Supplementation like creatine or magnesium may be beneficial for certain individuals—but recommending it universally removes the focus from the proven fundamentals: diet and exercise.
The research on early initiation of hormones and potential cardiovascular or metabolic benefits is promising but still evolving.
3) Menopause causes muscle loss.
False. While muscle mass does decline with age, menopause itself does not accelerate this process dramatically. Both men and women lose muscle over time, and this can be significantly slowed with consistent resistance training.
4) Prioritize protein first, then resistance training.
Almost, but not quite. Resistance training is the main priority—think of it as the cake. Protein is the icing, and creatine? That’s the cherry on top.
You can’t build meaningful muscle just by eating more protein. Protein is important, but without strength training, it won’t lead to significant changes.
5) Everyone should lift heavy weights and do sprint interval training (e.g., 5-rep maxes).
False. It can feel like there’s always someone trying to discredit your preferred workout style. But the data shows that as long as you're training with sufficient intensity—meaning you're challenging your muscles and approaching fatigue—you can make progress.
Whether it's sprint intervals or lower-intensity strength training, both can be effective for improving body composition.
It’s misleading—and frankly unhelpful—to tell someone not to do a workout they enjoy.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to fitness influencers—whether they’re popping up on your social media feed or speaking on national talk shows—remember: charisma and complexity sell. If someone claims, “You have a problem, and I have the solution,” it usually means they’re also selling you something.
What really works? Exercise, a balanced diet, and long-term consistency. That’s the truth.