MYTH: Add longer workouts...

You may assume that going longer is always better--especially when it comes to weight loss. But a recent study found that this isn't always the case. During the study, researchers had overweight participants do 30 or 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Surprisingly, those who exercised less lost more weight during the 13-week study. What's the catch? The group that exercised longer ended up eating more throughout the day than the moderate-exercise group. In other words, the longer they exercised, the more they overcompensated for it.

Make it work Longer workouts may be good, but not if you overeat because of it. Make sure you pay attention to your diet on days you do workout for longer. On the flip side, beginners should be encouraged to know you don't need to exercise for hours to see real weight loss results!