My completely sedentary brother in law who is fad-dieting
There’s no reason you need to clench your buttocks, we promise.
We’ve all heard questionable advice from well-meaning friends and colleagues, particularly ones who don’t run, work out, or eat well—but seem to have tons of insights about all of those topics anyway.
Case in point: These 15 Reddit users share some of the top “tips” they’ve gotten about running, hydration, and nutrition, usually from people who have 100 percent confidence, but zero percent evidence. (Heard some doozies yourself? Share them in the comments below.)
Water? That’s for Losers
“You should drink very little water at the start of your marathon and none at all the second half.” He didn’t have any reasoning for this, but he knew it was correct. — Cashatoo
You’ll Wreck Your Knees!
Don’t run. Running is terrible for you. Running will ruin your knees. (From a medical professional…that was overweight and had admitted to not ever having run a mile or really even exercised much).” — zufriedenpursuit
(Runner’s World Training Plan, here’s solid evidence that it’s just false).
Smoking Puffs Up Your Lungs
Not even kidding, but one time a guy told me to start smoking because it makes your lungs bigger, thereby giving more lung capacity. I was told this as a student in X-ray school by a clinical instructor (who smoked btw). He was correct that smokers have larger lungs, but what he evidently didn’t realize was because it’s due to emphysema. — kstreeter513
Carbs Are the Devil
RW+ Membership Benefits keto trying to tell me that I don’t need to eat carbs. Motherf-----,I run 65+ miles a week, don’t tell me I can’t have my pasta and bread. — Hooch_Pandersnatch
(Here’s Run/Walk a Race, though).
Didn’t Throw Up? Work Harder
If you’re not throwing up, you aren’t pushing your hardest. You should be throwing up at the end of every race. — I_have_spaghetti
[The 7 Best Walking Pads for Your Home Office Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]
Running Outdoors Kills Your Form
I had my not-runner friend persuading me to only run on treadmill, because it’s “somehow” designed to be healthier for my form. — removed_deleted
(You still can Shin Splints: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention Health & Injuries).
Just Start Leaping, Maybe?
“Make your strides as long as you can. Think about it, the fewer steps you have to take over the same distance, the faster you’ll be!” — Llewey
Go Nuts on Nuts
Eat 30 to 40 chocolate almonds before a long run to maximize energy and endurance....never again!!! — stupid_prize_winner
Clench Up
An old alcoholic neighbor called me up, said he saw me running and told me to “clench my buttocks” when I run. I’m not sure if he remembers, but I try to avoid him now. — BertManigert
Taper Off on Tapering
“It’s the week before your marathon, you should be running as many miles as possible to keep your training up!” Said by a friend who’s never run a marathon, to me the week before my 7th marathon. Uh, yeah. Sure. I’ll get right on that 10 miler. — Clarinator5000
(Actually, this is the correct way to taper.)Running Will Probably Kill You
Don’t run. That’s what a coworker told me. He then said that running was bad for me because it was depleting my immune system. In his own words, running a marathon would leave my body in a state akin to a HIV infection, and even a flu could easily kill me then. — Bruncvik
Go Hard, All the Time
Every time when you go for a run, run hard. I did this 5x a week for 18 weeks, I felt agitated and tired for the entire training cycle. Luckily I didn’t encounter injuries because of it. — syuusuke
Forget the Bed Rest
“If you’re sick, then the best remedy is running!” Cut to me getting worse. —leostacks1
Fast to Get Fast
You shouldn’t eat during the last 48 hours before marathon. It’s impressive that my father-in-law has actually finished marathons following this advice. — leevei
There Should Be No Running in Your Race Training
A trainer at my gym suggested I only lift weights to train for my first half marathon. — Couyon
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
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7 My completely sedentary brother in law who is fad-dieting
here’s solid evidence that it’s just false
