Losing weight and being fit aren’t necessarily the same thing. Although one impacts the other, the two are somewhat exclusive. This means that it’s possible to have one without the other.
You can lose weight and hit less than 8% body fat while still not being fit. And you can weigh in excess of 300 pounds but still dance around on stage for extended periods of time while being incredibly physically active.
However, I still want to stress how unhealthy obesity is overall. The human body wasn’t designed for excess weight, which is why a lot of obese people have knee and joint issues. And obesity does lead to a variety of health complications for the general public.
Nonetheless, you can still have a ton of energy and a great deal of strength while being obese.
In reality, I’ve seen a lot of guys at the gym who would be classified as morbidly obese who can bench press a small car.
What Does Fitness Mean to You?
Everyone has their own ideas of what fitness means to them. Some will see it as a measurement of superior muscle mass and growth. Others might focus on endurance activities, such as running or swimming.
Then, you have people like me who simply want a higher quality of life by being able to do the things I want to do. For example, I would like to play a round of basketball for 10 minutes without getting winded. Or consistently carry 10 gallons of water at a time without pulling something.
I focus more on activities that I’ll utilize in the real world. That means I’m not trying to look like a mound of flesh and meat. I don’t want to look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But I would like to get rid of this spare tire around my waist and replace it with a six-pack. Mostly just because I want to see if I can do it.
Due to the shoulder, back, and arm workouts I do at the gym, I’ve added more than 20 yards to my drive while golfing.
Lastly, I don’t want to die anytime soon. After my heart stopped in 2016 for a moment, there’s been a bit of a fire lit under me. Not as prominent as I’d like, but I am 40 pounds lighter and don’t have nearly the heart trouble I did back then.
No, trying to emulate some of these bodybuilders on Instagram is not the definition of fitness. Sure, they may look good and have ripply muscles. But that’s not everyone’s end-game and is surely not the gold standard for fitness. Most are just trying to sell you supplements.
Losing Weight vs Getting Fit
For most, losing weight simply means getting rid of some of the fat that causes the scale to “err” out. For others, it might mean hitting suggested weights for body type and physiology. In any case, losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting fit.
There are all kinds of people out there who look like they might blow away with a stiff breeze. Some have very little muscle mass with an exceptionally low level of endurance. In fact, being underweight can be hazardous to your health in certain situations.
So, what is a healthy weight? That depends on a multitude of factors such as sex, height, and genetic makeup. Some people are just prone to pack on the pounds whether it be muscle or fat. There really is no one-size-fits-all answer, which is why I hate the use of the BMI calculator.
For one thing, the BMI (body mass index) doesn’t take into consideration muscle growth and development or bone density. According to the BMI, most running backs in American football would be considered obese.
Secondly, the BMI was developed prior to 1850. There is a stark difference between humans today and what we were more than 170 years ago. It’s an archaic and grossly outdated method for gauging body composition.
Losing Weight without Exercise
Physically speaking, it’s exceptionally easy to lose weight without exercising. It mostly comes down to decreasing caloric intake due to your levels of physical activity. If you burn less throughout the day, you need less to keep yourself alive. Well, for the majority of humans, anyway.
There are those outliers who will have physiological issues and diseases that will make losing weight far more difficult. But generally speaking, a simple change in your diet will impact your weight.
Mentally speaking, however, weight loss can be extremely difficult for some. People like myself have mental issues such as stress eating. And a lot of these mental hangups are debilitating and will take a lot of time to overcome.
Nonetheless, you’re body knows what it needs to do. You just need to give it a chance to do so. I’d say about 90% of hitting weight loss goals is your mental state. Without being committed to any goal from a mental standpoint, you’ll find success far more difficult.
There’s nothing wrong with seeking help from a therapist if you just can’t get your head in the game. Your mental health is just as vital as your physical health.
Losing Weight with Exercise
One of the most common methods of losing weight comes in the form of exercise. The more you burn, the more fat you lose. Of course, a lot of this also depends on the quality of food you’re eating.
Don’t expect to eat a box of cupcakes every day, run a mile, and wind up feeling like a million bucks. What you eat will manage everything from the brain’s ability to process information to how your body feels at the end of the day.
Humans still need certain vitamins and minerals each day in order to sustain themselves.
The keto diet works exceptionally well for a lot of active people because they’re essentially training their bodies to use fat for energy instead of glucose (derived from carbs). Once in ketosis, the body burns fat rapidly, especially if you’re physically active.
Nonetheless, exercise can help you reach weight loss goals much quicker while also improving your overall fitness. And there are several benefits for exercising that are practical, such as being able to move things around your house without calling up friends and family for help.
However, exercise isn’t mandatory to lose weight.
Improving Fitness in General
In many instances, people work to improve fitness despite not being over or underweight. Perhaps they simply want to look better on the beach. Or, maybe someone wants to run a 7-minute mile. As I said earlier, the term “fitness” is often subjective.
Each person has specific goals of what they want to look like or what they want to feel like. What one person strives for isn’t the same as another. Sure, there are those who work to be like the bodybuilders they see on Instagram. But that’s not always the consensus with everyone.
Then, you have those people who are “obese” in the public eye who seem to have an endless supply of energy or who can lift a great deal of weight. Are these people fit? Again, that depends on the one making the judgment.
When you look up the definition of fitness, one of the entries states, “the quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role or task.” By that definition, someone who is obese but dances around on stage with Taylor Swift for a few hours with the same level of energy is fit. Well, at least fit enough to fulfill that particular task.
I’ve seen a lot of extremely overweight people who can dance but could never run a mile in less than 10 minutes.
Anyway, the point is everyone can improve their level of fitness regardless of size in accordance with a task they wish to complete. For me, I would like to be more athletic as I love to play physical games outside.
I really miss playing league baseball or softball. Not to mention how my golf game has improved due to working out. I’ve got more power behind my swing and my accuracy has improved through physical control of the club.
Are You Striving for Weight Loss or Fitness?
When all is said and done, losing weight and fitness are not the same thing. While one will impact the other, they can stand alone for physical goals. It all really depends on what the individual wants and needs to be happy.
Keep in mind that while both of these elements are often subjective to the individual, there are health risks involved that affect the vast majority of humans. Just because you can dance on stage with Taylor Swift while being technically morbidly obese, it doesn’t mean you’re immune to the slew of diseases and physical complications that may be just around the corner.
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