Although thirty minutes a day, five days a week is the amount of exercise recommended for optimal health by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it's not a requirement. Exercise is beneficial no matter how little is done. 

That doesn't mean regular exercise is not a necessity for weight loss and good health, but it does mean you shouldn't deprive yourself of exercise just because you can't get in as much as you'd like. Spending ten minutes each night walking your dog is much more beneficial to your health than sitting in front of the television.

Bottom line: Any amount of exercise will do your body good!

Spot-training might feel like it's making a difference to fatty areas, but while crunches will tighten your tummy, they won't actually do anything for the layer of fat surrounding the muscles. That's because muscle training builds muscle; it doesn't reduce fat. To burn fat, you need to do cardiovascular exercise.

The American Council on Exercise states that doing "100 sit-ups a day for a flabby stomach will increase muscle endurance for the abdomen, but will not burn off the fat in that area." 

Bottom line: Keep the crunches to help tone your body and build muscle strength, but add a power walk or some other cardio activity to reduce overall body fat.

That's about as logical as saying your gym shoes will turn into stilettos if you stop wearing them! 

Despite what you may have heard, muscle does not turn to fat if you stop exercising. When you stop exercising, your muscles will shrink because they're not being used, but it's impossible for them to convert to fat.

In fact, there is actually some evidence to show that your muscles can retain much of your previous exercise experience. So: "I don't want to start exercising because as soon as I stop, I'll lose all my muscle," is second-to-none in the lame excuses box.

Bottom line: Muscle will not turn to fat if you stop exercising, so quit the excuses and start a program ASAP!