Nahida Khanum of Being Strong in Kolkata busts myths about gymming

IT’S NEVER TOO late to join a gym — even if your most strenuous workout till date has been climbing a flight of stairs. But before you get your annual subscription and put your trust in a trainer to keep your body in perfect shape, fitness expert Nahida Khanum debunks some myths relating to ‘gymming’. Khanum, with over 10 years of experience in the industry, believes that fitness goes beyond body conditioning. She started Being Strong, a 3,000 sq ft gym at Southern Avenue with friend Swastica Sharma last month and here she separates fact from fiction to help you make the right decisions.

Weight lifting leads to the growth of muscles in women:

Hormones in women do not aid in building muscles. It is only when someone uses steroids to add more mass to the body that muscles start showing up. With specific exercises and weight lifting, the body looks toned. Female athletes like PV Sindhu and Hima Das sweat it out in the gym but their body is fit and toned.

To stay fit, hitting the gym every day is a must:

The body requires 150 minutes of workout in a week. As a beginner, indulging in cross-fit or functional training for 3-4 days in a week is ideal and when one reaches an intermediary or pro-level then six days in a week is advisable. Also, a break from the routine of the gym is necessary to help the body function properly.

Supplements are unnecessary:

The way kids are given health drinks when they are growing up, a gym-going adult needs supplements to meet the demand of the body. Add-on proteins and multi-vitamins are not drugs. Having faith in your trainer is very important and advice from expert nutritionist should be solicited.

Inactivity or quitting gym will have a reverse effect:

The body has a definite capacity and if you overeat, the excess calories turn into fat. The rule applies regardless of a gym regimen. Eat according to the body’s requirement and not to your heart’s content is the key to maintaining the balance.