Seven health myths that might surprise you

Living a healthy life takes some resolve, but success often comes down to knowing what pays the biggest dividends for a given effort. Health coaches are great sources for this insight. They've seen it all on the job and learned a lot in their training.

Health coaches from Provant, a workplace well-being leader, identified seven commonly held health and wellness myths drawn from their research and experience:

__Myth No. 1: An aerobic workout boosts your metabolism all day.__

Wrong. It just burns calories while you're doing it. Muscle-strengthening exercises, however, will burn calories long after your workout.

__Myth No. 2: If you don't break a sweat, it's not a workout.__

Wrong. Sweat is just the body's way of cooling itself. A better reflection of effort is the talk test: Your workout is moderate if you can talk, but not sing, and vigorous if you need to take a breath every few words.

__Myth No. 3: You should stretch before you exercise.__

Not really -- you could hurt yourself. Better to stretch after you're warmed up with light, smooth movement of gradually increasing intensity.

__Myth No. 4: Frozen fruits and vegetables are less healthy than fresh ones.__

Actually, they're both healthy. Frozen fruits and vegetables are generally picked and frozen at nutritional peak. Canned can be a fine choice if you're watching your budget. Avoid fruits packed in syrup.

__Myth No. 5: Cigars and chewing tobacco are safe because you don't inhale.__

This is another myth. Cigar smokers have higher rates than nonsmokers of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and are four to 10 times more likely to die from cancers of the throat, mouth, lips, larynx and esophagus, according to the American Cancer Society. People who chew tobacco are more likely to develop oral cancers that affect the tongue, lips, cheeks and gums.

__Myth No. 6: Stress happens. There's nothing you can do about it.__

Not true. Stress doesn't have to overwhelm you. There are several approaches to managing it. Set priorities and tackle simple problems first. Then move on to complex difficulties. Practice relaxation exercises. Make yourself more resilient by eating smart, exercising and avoiding tobacco.

__Myth No. 7: Cold turkey is the best way to quit tobacco.__

Nope. It's just one of the ways to quit, and the more times you try to quit, the better your chances of succeeding. Research indicates to help improve success rates, you need the desire and readiness to quit, some form of pharmacotherapy (nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications) and social support (family, friends, health coach).

Keep this information in mind as you go about improving your health, and most importantly, don't give up.