We've become a duped nation. We'll believe anything that we read in a magazine or on a trendy website, without ever doing research. Fitness and fat-loss myths are hugely popular, but there are a lot of them that are just that: myths.

Here are a few of the most foolish ones:

Myth #1: You have to do a lot of crunches to get six-pack abs.

Truth: Your abs are already there--they're called the rectus abdominus muscles--they're just hidden beneath a layer of belly fat. To "get" that six pack, you need to lose the belly fat while training the muscles. No amount of ab-workouts can build a huge six pack if you don't lose the fat, so make sure that you watch your calorie intake, train all of the muscles in your body, and do more exercise. That's the only way to really lose fat the smart way!

Myth #2: Working out a particular muscle will burn the fat around it.

Truth: You can't pick and choose what fat you are burning. Your body does that for you, and only when you have run out of glucose to burn. You have to work out your entire body, and you will burn fat from around your whole frame. Eventually, you will have a leaner body, not just fat-free body parts.

Myth #3: "Turn that fat into muscle!"

Truth: You see the words above in nearly every Internet-based workout program or e-book, but the truth is that you can't turn fat into muscle. Fat is stored fatty acids, while muscle is made up of muscle fibers. You can get rid of the fat and build muscle to take its place, but you can't "turn" fat into muscle.

(Hint: The more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn.)

Myth #4: Don't eat fat. It makes you fat.

Truth: This is half-right. There are nine calories in each gram of fat, more than twice as much as carbs and protein. However, just eating fat doesn't make you fat. The only thing that can make you gain weight is eating too many calories. Two thousand calories of fat, protein and carbs is equals to 2,000 calories, any way you cut it. Truth be told, eating a bit more fat--the healthy unsaturated type--can actually make it easier for your body to burn fat.

Myth #5: Cut carbs and fats while eating more protein.

Truth: A balance is a "must" if you want to burn fat. Your body needs fatty acids and cutting too much fat from your diet can cause your body to cling to those fat cells stored around your frame. Carbs are turned into energy, which you need for your bodybuilding and cardio workouts. You do need to increase your protein intake slightly, but don't trim down your carbs and fats too much.