The world of fitness is riddled with common myths that can actually derail your weight loss journey. Raj debunks some misconceptions that people still believe. Fitness journeys are rarely linear. Many people begin with enthusiasm, commit to strict workout routines and restrictive diets, and expect quick results. But when progress slows or life gets in the way, motivation often fades and healthy habits are abandoned altogether. According to fitness experts, this cycle is often driven by unrealistic expectations rather than a lack of effort. Lasting health and fitness are built on sustainable habits that can be maintained over time, not extreme routines that are difficult to stick with in the long run.Raj recommends adopting sustainable habits for long term fitness. (Pexel)Also Read | Chennai fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares 2 reasons why people struggle to achieve their fitness goalsIn an interview with HT Lifestyle, Chennai-based fitness trainer with 18 years of experience, Raj Ganpath – founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy – debunks some of the most common fitness and weight loss myths that continue to mislead Indians and hinder their progress towards better health.He highlights, “One of the most interesting things about health and fitness is that most people are not struggling because they are unwilling to put in the effort. In fact, many are trying very hard. They are reading articles, watching videos, following meal plans, signing up for challenges, and constantly looking for ways to improve their health. The problem is rarely a lack of effort. More often, it is a misunderstanding of what actually drives long-term progress.”Myth 1: Faster progress is betterAccording to Raj, perhaps the biggest myth people continue to believe is that faster progress is always better progress. It sounds logical enough. If a small calorie deficit helps with weight loss, a much larger one should work even better. If exercising three days a week is good, exercising every day should be better. Yet health rarely works this way.He explains, “Most of us do not live in controlled environments. We have demanding jobs, families, travel, social commitments, poor sleep, stressful weeks and unexpected disruptions. The plans that look impressive on paper often struggle to survive real life. This is why so many people lose weight only to regain it, or start exercise programmes only to stop a few months later. The issue is not motivation. The issue is sustainability.”Sustainable fitness does not mean doing intense workouts every day. (Unsplash)Myth 2: Only intense routines countRaj highlights that another popular myth quietly creating problems is the belief that fitness only counts when it feels intense. Somewhere along the way, many people started equating effectiveness with difficulty. A workout must leave you exhausted. A diet must feel restrictive. Progress must involve sacrifice. Yet when we look at people who successfully maintain their health for years, the picture is often very different.The fitness coach emphasises, “Walking regularly, strength training a few times a week, eating enough protein, sleeping well and managing stress may not sound exciting. In fact, they can sound almost disappointingly simple. But these habits influence nearly every aspect of health, from body composition and energy levels to recovery, muscle preservation and long-term wellbeing. The body responds remarkably well to consistent behaviours, even when those behaviours seem ordinary.”Myth 3: The all-or-nothing mindsetThe all-or-nothing mindset, the fitness trainer warns, is perhaps one of the most damaging myths in the fitness industry. Many people believe they must follow the plan perfectly or there is no point following it at all. A missed workout becomes a missed week. One indulgent meal becomes an entire weekend of overeating. A stressful period at work becomes a reason to abandon healthy habits altogether.However, Raj emphasises, “Health has never worked on a pass-fail system. The body does not care whether a week was perfect. It responds to what happens most of the time. The people who maintain results are not necessarily the most disciplined people in the room. They are often the ones who recover quickly from setbacks and return to their routine without turning a small slip into a complete spiral.”A welcome shift in mindsetRaj believes that perhaps this is the mindset shift that many of us need. Instead of asking, “What is the fastest way to reach my goal?”, it may be more useful to ask, “What can I realistically continue doing a year from now?” He highlights that health was never meant to be a short-term project. It is something we build gradually through habits that fit into our lives rather than compete with them.He concludes, “This approach may sound less exciting than aggressive fitness challenges and dramatic transformation promises. It does not create flashy before-and-after stories overnight. But the human body has always preferred gradual change over sudden disruption. When we focus on consistency instead of intensity, and sustainability instead of perfection, progress becomes easier to maintain.” Ultimately, in a way, that is exactly what most people are looking for, not results that last for a few weeks, but results that last for years.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Eshana Saha is a fresh face in lifestyle and cultural journalism, bringing a refined, multidisciplinary perspective to the intersection of entertainment, fashion and holistic wellbeing. With less than a year of professional experience, she has quickly adapted to high-pressure editorial environments and currently works full-time with HT Media. Prior to this, she interned for nearly six months with Hindustan Times’ entertainment and lifestyle vertical, where she gained hands-on experience in digital reporting, trend analysis and editorial storytelling.