Getting real with fitness industry myths and excuses.

The scale's not moving; The tape measure show's inches lost and gained at the same time. Here's some popular myths and excuses that I encounter daily and weekly.

• Muscle weighs more than fat.

No. It does not. What weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead? Trick question, 1 pound is 1 pound. 16 oz's is 16 oz's. Here's another trick question; "Who'd win in a fight between Lemmy and God?" Lemmy is God! BAM! If you know who Lemmy is, you're welcome. If you don't, sorry that I offended you. I digress.

• Turning fat into muscle

Doesn't happen. Fat and muscle are different tissue.

So then what's the story? If I'm not turning fat into muscle, why are people telling me I look better? Because you're exercising. You feel better. There is a spring in your step, your posture is good you're tightening you tummy as you walk around. You don't plod in your gait, you glide...you start to move like an athlete.

• My waist is bigger because I've built my abs so strong that it's pushing my gut out!

Bullshit. Abdominal muscles are dense. They don't inflate like chest and back muscles do. If your waist is bigger, you're either bloated, or you're fatter. Sorry.

• Maybe I'm eating too little?

This one is interesting. Because it's actually possible. But, I have yet to see it happen. I mean come on! People aren't in the position of having to lose weight if they light eaters. When I hear this one, I want to say, "Hmm yes, you know, sometimes I think that my good looks have actually held me back in life."

I had a client actually try to tell me that she only ate an apple and a hotdog every day. She thought that maybe she should eat more. What she forgot, is that we are facebook friends. And, that I read her posts. She's one of those people who likes to take pictures of her food. Trust me, she was not slowing her metabolism down with a lack of calories.

Another client was following weight watchers to a "T." She was actually gaining weight. I was kicking her ass 2x a week, and she was kicking her own ass 3x a week. I saw the effort. I almost bought it. Until, she fess'd up to a "few beers" on the weekends. And, "1 or 2" on thursdays (softball night). After adding up what she owned up to, her beer consumption came to 18 - 20 bud selects in 2 weeks. That's close to 4000 calories in a month. 4000 extra calories to burn off. It only takes 3500 to make a pound.

My point is, that in my experience, most people consume more than they think. If you're eating too little, then it's no mystery. Likely, you would experience rapid weight loss for a several weeks, and then the weight loss grind down to a halt. As I said, I've yet to work with somebody who eats too little.

Ok, so hear's the long and short of it.

If you are trying to lose weight, i.e. take up less space, it's simple calories in, calories out. You must burn more than you eat. If the scale and tape aren't moving, you're eating too much. Period. Simple yes, easy, no.