Top 10 common fitness myths

6. You need to eat breakfast before a workout

Whether or not you have breakfast before a workout depends on how your system works and why you are working out in the first place.

If you want to lose weight it may be better to postpone breakfast and exercise on an empty stomach to maximise fat burning.

Research from Northumbria University published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggested that people can burn up to 20% more body fat by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach.

The small study of 12 physically active men also found that those doing morning exercise before breakfast didn't consume more calories or feel hungrier during the day to compensate for their exercise.

However, if your workout goal is performance related, which means you want to develop strength or speed, it may be better to fuel up before a morning workout as you may need the extra energy to perform to the best of your ability.

7. Always stretch before a workout

Stretching before exercise used to be common. Touching your toes before a race or stretching out the calves and quads before a workout was something everyone did - so it is hardwired in some people's psyche. A whole raft of studies in recent years have called into question the need for this static stretching before exercise. Research has suggested the static stretches, where you hold a stretch for a period of time, may make your performance worse.

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, which looked at men in a gym environment, suggested that pre-work out stretches made their leg muscles feel unsteady and weaker.

The general school of thought is that dynamic stretches are better than static stretches before exercise, for example high knee runs, slow jogging, side-stepping. You are stretching your muscles through movement not just holding them.

The view of the NHS is that stretching before exercise is unlikely to cut your risk of injury, prevent sore muscles or improve your performance.

If you really do feel as though you need to stretch before exercise make sure your muscles are warmed up first so you are less likely to injure yourself.

8. Weights make women bulky

Not true at all! Women don't produce enough testosterone for a start. Training with weights increases your lean muscle mass and makes it easier to burn fat.

"Lifting weights won't cause you to look like the next top bodybuilder, it takes men years to gain muscle mass so what makes you think that us women will get 'hench' as soon as we so much as look at a dumbbell?" says Vicky Hadley, personal trainer and fitness blogger Bikini Girls Diary.

"Lifting weights causes stronger bone density and will actually help you to tone up and slim down," adds Vicky.