Can You Be Fit and Fat?
The idea that you can be obese and healthy at the same time has been debated among trainers physicians and nutritionists for years! Not sure if you remember Governor Chris Christie on David Letterman exchanging fat jokes basically stating that he was the healthiest fat guy ever (as he pulled out a donut from his suit pocket, priceless) Like many Americans all his blood test came out fine his cholesterol levels were fine and he had no signs of diabetes or hypertension.
HOWEVER a month later he went through a gastric bypass operation, So the question asked is why? He said he was concerned about the long-term consequences of his condition even though he felt fine. This is what is known in the fitness industry as the obesity paradox; people who are overweight however are fit and have no existing medical conditions. I do believe you can be fit and overweight because I have many clients who are overweight and are extremely fit! The paradox comes in when medical problems arise later in life. Many overweight people may feel fine, but they just have not had a heart attack yet; YET being the keyword.
The medical problems linked to obesity include diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, sleep apnea and so many more. I do feel the best indicator to measure obesity is body mass index also known as BMI.
BMI takes into account the size of a person’s frame and their total body weight, but it does not include the amount of muscle. Technically someone with a high BMI could have greater muscle mass and little fat. For example a bodybuilder who comes in with 6% body fat at 5 feet six, but weighs in 220 pounds. But I do believe BMI is a great measure of health for the majority of the population.
For inactive people trying to lose weight I do believe that just starting with walking and cutting back on junk food is a huge start. Just losing 10% of your body weight can have a huge effect on your overall health.
Obesity is a chronic disease with long-term medical consequences when left untreated. Even if someone is not exhibiting symptoms such as high blood pressure or diabetes that does not mean the person escapes consequences over the long term.
The true obesity paradox is when you get to a certain point where you cannot do anything about it, you cannot exercise because of joint issues or because your heart is under strain. It overtakes everything you can’t fight it anymore that is the real Catch-22 of obesity.
So if you’re battling those pounds start with small steps. Before you know it you are going to start feeling better, feel less tired and simply be in a better mood and all those are great indicators that you’re getting healthier!
NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT YOU ARE WORTH IT AND THE RESULTS ARE WELL WORTH THE EFFORT
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