Life as I Know It; Family; Lifestyle; and Healthy Living!
Or is it better to be fit and fat?
Published on December 5, 2007 By foreverserenity In Diet
I know it is better to be fit than fat. But would you consider a thin person fit even if they don't exercise at all? Or a fat person fit if they do exercise daily? Or don't you think a fat person can be fit? Especially if this person isn't morbidly obese and does workout everyday, they might not be considered the American ideal, i.e., a size 2 or lets face it a 0! However, what if this person works out everyday religiously and eats a moderate diet without being on a diet, but doesn't overdo fat intake, would you consider this person to be fit?

That was the topic of discussion today on Good Morning America (or some discussion similar)! There is a report that most American women would rather

To me if a person is thin and doesn't exercise at all, even to walk for 30 mins a day, they are not fit! How can they be? They wouldn't be able to lift weight, at least barely, they would not have much stamina, don't you think?

A case in point, my co-worker and friend, who is actually in her late fifties, the one who was recently in the hospital. She is a slim person, not thin, not petite but she is not tall, so I would say she is averaged sized, a size 8. She smokes, or used to, but didn't exercise at all. She refused to exercise, didn't like to do it. Even when some of us were either walking or going to the gym together, she doesn't do that she said.

Many of us feel that had she been even moderately working out, she would have responded better to the surgery she had recently, instead, it practically knocked her down! The doctor who did the surgery had perform that type of surgery on many people, her case was the only one that was so severe in the reaction. Although, many people are different, and react differently to the same things, perhaps she would have stood a better chance had she been a non-smoker and even moderately fit. We're all glad she is much better and will be returning to work in January, but my point in bringing that up is to point out that you can be slim, but it doesn't mean that you are fit.

As I grew up, I was never a thin person, but I was curvy (not fat) and fit. I was very active, I did everything! When I got older, wife, kids, being busy, my level of activities changed over the years. I found my weight fluctuating. I got to my best body ever two years after my son was born. I was determined to do it and did. Even then I wasn't skinny, or probably not fit by the American standard, but I was pretty darn fit and looked good!

Now I could lose a few pounds, and have been working on it on and off on reaching that goal (and I am on hiatus until after the holidays). More so because I want to be fit, being fit is better and means more to me than being thin. Of course, for me in the process of being fit, I will get thinner, but I will never be a size 0, 2 or even a size 8! But one thing I know, I will be darn happy with what I am and loving my body even more!


Comments
on Dec 05, 2007
My wife is thin (around 95 to 100 lbs. all her life) and I...well, I am not. But do to some recent warnings I am trying to turn that around! I've already dropped around thirty pounds by watching what I eat, quit drinking, and working out EVERY SINGLE DAY by doing a four mph and 4 degrees of incline walk for 2 miles and then a good half mile RUN on the treadmill. Heh, I can't tell you how much better I feel! I'm even thinking about going skydiving in the spring when I get down below the required weight limit! But anyway...

my wife is one of those lucky one that can eat anything she wants but she does not, and REFUSES to do, any form of exercise! And funny, but she's ALWAYS feeling crappy and tired while I -though overweight (but I'm working on that!!!!)- feel terrific! So yeah, in my opinion you can be thin and not be in all that great of shape.
on Dec 05, 2007
already dropped around thirty pounds by watching what I eat, quit drinking, and working out EVERY SINGLE DAY by doing a four mph and 4 degrees of incline walk for 2 miles and then a good half mile RUN on the treadmill.


Yeah, congrats on that!

Your wife sounds adorably petite! Yes, you definitely can be thin and not fit. They did suggest even moderately walking for 30mins a day, a think person can be fitter.
on Dec 05, 2007
They did suggest even moderately walking for 30mins a day, a think person can be fitter.


Lucky for me that most of my life I have had physically demanding jobs -except for the last 14 years anyway, lol. So working out isn't that big a drastic change for me! But I AM working on her to start going to the gym with me!
on Dec 05, 2007
Being thin doesn't equate to being fit. But then being fat automatically means not being fit. A fat person can be strong, even reasonably well conditioned, but not fit by the common understanding of the meaning of the word.

Being fit means that one's body is in an overall healthy and well conditioned state. That includes the BMI, cardio, and the general conditioning of the muscles.

I am pretty strong, ride bike, get a pretty good workout on a regular basis, heart lungs blood pressure and blood chemistry are all quite good, but because I carry around a gut (read beer belly) I would never call myself fit. I would need to drop the excess weight and firm the abdomen before I could ever think of calling myself fit.

That said, a fat person can indeed actually be more fit than a skinny one just by virtue of doing more cardio work. But the skinny one that never exercises nor the fat person will ever be truly fit while they maintain the status quo. Actually a truly fit person isn't very likely to be skinny. Muscle adds mass.

I do agree that being fit is far more important than being thin. Fit is healthy, being either fat or too skinny are not healthy. I know I am trying to drop a few pounds as I know that will take some pressure off my ailing back and hip.

Well, ok, I'm not trying THAT hard, but I am trying.
on Dec 05, 2007
But I AM working on her to start going to the gym with me!


Nice! I like it when a couple works out together! My hubby and I do sometimes, but he mostly likes his Table Tennis so we don't workout together as often as I would like!




But then being fat automatically means not being fit. A fat person can be strong, even reasonably well conditioned, but not fit by the common understanding of the meaning of the word.


Agreed!


Actually a truly fit person isn't very likely to be skinny. Muscle adds mass.


That they do!


Well, ok, I'm not trying THAT hard, but I am trying


! I hear ya! Right now I'm not even trying! I made two attempts to go to the gym last week and failed miserably! I t must be because of the season or the weather but I just wasn't in the mood to be all gung ho and focussed!!
on Dec 05, 2007
One doesn't need a gym to get out and take a nice long walk or ride a bicycle. Personally I can't stand gyms.
on Dec 05, 2007
Personally I can't stand gyms.


Boy I can ditto that! But the gym is the lesser of two evils as I hate cold weather worse.
on Dec 05, 2007
My husband and I run together almost everynight. We've been doing 4 miles right now. It takes about a half hour...that's it. All we have time for. On weekends we go biking together as well.

When my son and his girlfriend were visiting we played tennis and pickleball until the cows came home. Hours and hours having a blast.

At night Courtney was exhausted by 8:30 dying to go to bed. I was fine. I'm 22 years older than she is. When I told my son I was doing pushups to strengthen my arms he didn't believe me until I dropped and did five right in front of him. He looked at his very, very, pencil thin girlfriend and said "Courtney, can you do pushups?" She couldn't even do one. He laughed so hard at the thought that his mother was in better shape than his girlfriend. So I made him do them.....just in case. He did.

On their way home after spending the long holiday with us, Courtney told my son that she wants to be like his parents when she gets older.......

You can get and stay fit at any age.
on Dec 05, 2007
We've been doing 4 miles right now. It takes about a half hour...


WOW! Now that's something to aspire too! And here I was feeling all cocky for doing TWO miles in half an hour!   
on Dec 05, 2007


But the gym is the lesser of two evils as I hate cold weather worse


Uh uh! hate cold weather even more! If it's cool and I'm cosy, ok, but freezing, nope!



My husband and I run together almost everynight. We've been doing 4 miles right now. It takes about a half hour...that's it


That's nice, sounds like sprinting though? You guys must run fast to cover four miles in a half hour!


You can get and stay fit at any age.


Absolutely!




And here I was feeling all cocky for doing TWO miles in half an hour!



I kid you not, that is impressive! I aspire to that dream when I start working out again!

on Dec 06, 2007

We've been doing 4 miles right now. It takes about a half hour...


WOW! Now that's something to aspire too! And here I was feeling all cocky for doing TWO miles in half an hour!   


That's no big deal. I do at least 20 miles.






On a bicycle.
on Dec 06, 2007
I'm like Mason - I hate Gyms!  But unlike Roy, unless it is below 0, cold weather does not bother me, so biking or walking is much preferable to a gym (especially now with all the christmas lights up).
on Dec 06, 2007
That's no big deal. I do at least 20 miles.On a bicycle.


Amazing!


so biking or walking is much preferable to a gym


I love walking!
on Dec 06, 2007
That's nice, sounds like sprinting though? You guys must run fast to cover four miles in a half hour!


No, not at all. An eight minute mile is 32 minutes for 4 miles. We run between 8 and 9 minutes a mile training usually in 34 minutes or so. When I race I run in the 7:30 range and my husband runs in the 6:30 range.

Most people walk a mile usually in 12-15 minutes ....some slower but not usually much faster than 12 minutes or so.

If you really want to get in shape, it's usually good to compete against yourself and write it down. Go out and measure a half mile, a mile, mile and a half and two miles from your home.

This way you can walk from one to four miles in an out and back. Or if you have a great loop you like to do you can do it that way as well. Everytime you do this no matter the distance, time it. Write it down and watch your progress. It really helps to get you out of the house.

on Dec 06, 2007
If you really want to get in shape, it's usually good to compete against yourself and write it down. Go out and measure a half mile, a mile, mile and a half and two miles from your home. This way you can walk from one to four miles in an out and back. Or if you have a great loop you like to do you can do it that way as well. Everytime you do this no matter the distance, time it. Write it down and watch your progress. It really helps to get you out of the house.


Yes. I usually do a two and half to three mile walk at a fast pace in 30mins when I was working out regularly. I will begin again ater the holiday. Keeping fit is good and exercise is a must!