Fitness and fatness may seem to be like the two sides of the river, which will never meet. In other words, you may never expect a "fat" man to exhibit high levels of physical activity or to be able to prove that he has high levels of physical fitness. Again, you may choose to conclude that one of your neighbors has tremendous physical fitness if you find him to be lean and thin. So does this mean that fat or overweight persons are unfit and that thin persons are super-fit? Definitely not. You can be fat as well as fit at the same time whereas being thin does not necessarily imply that you are fit as well.
Understanding Fitness and Fatness
The American College of sports medicine defines fitness as the ability to perform daily activities with dynamism. Fitness also represents a demonstration of traits and capacities that are linked with low risk of premature development of the hypokinetic diseases (the conditions caused due to physical inactiveness). Health related physical fitness typically includes cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Fatness is a part of body composition which is one of the constituents of fitness.
When someone says, 'I want to get fit', we often assume he has to lose weight. But this is not the actual case. An individual may choose to lose weight only by limiting his caloric intake, but this will not actually improve his fitness level, although some indirect benefits may still accrue in his fitness level. But, if the individual chooses to lose some weight by increasing his activity level, then his level of fitness may get boosted at the same time.
Studies conducted by the Cooper's Institute in Dallas, Texas have shown that, it is better to be fit and fat than unfit and thin in terms of longevity. In a research which continued for 20 years, it was found that thin, unfit men were more susceptible to death on account of all causes in comparison to men who were considered overweight, but fit.
But it doesn't mean that you do not have to show any concern about being overweight. Many long term problems have been found to be associated with being overweight, especially when fat contributes to that excess weight. Being underweight or thin is not good either. A proper balance in body composition needs to be maintained and one should make an effort to maintain a healthy body weight and a good level of fitness across his lifespan.
Do not confuse fitness and fatness. Do not think that you are in the best level of fitness if you are not overweight. You must still take part in physical activities on a regular basis so as to maximize its health benefit. If you are overweight, then you must take care to combine increased levels of physical activity with a balanced nutritious diet to shed the extra body fat. The message is clear - what matters more is achieving better fitness level and in that process, you will keep away excess body fat automatically.
You may have feared the school "pahelwans" and may have chosen to stay away from them. Some of your friends may have also consoled you by saying that these overweight students were nothing but a pile of flesh. But to your surprise, you might have found that these overweight students had beaten you in your school sports. Today, you can now understand how fatness and fitness differ as well as relate with each other.
