We often look at elite athletes and think they are the picture of health. But the truth is that just because you are fit does not mean that you are healthy, and just because you are healthy does not mean that you are fit. Confused yet? Let me explain.
What is health? Health is not just the absence of disease, but also the optimal functioning of all body systems. So that means that your kidneys should be working well. Your immune system should be firing on all cylinders, your reproductive organs should be in tip top shape (know what I mean? 😉 And every other system and organ should be functioning properly.
Original source: here.
But just because those systems are working well does not mean you can run an easy 5K. Or lift 402 pounds, like some of us. So you could be healthy without being fit.
You can also be fit without being healthy. See, fitness is simply your ability to do a task. That means that fitness is task-specific. So Usain Bolt is a great sprinter. But he’s probably a pretty bad swimmer. He’s also probably a pretty bad boxer. Michael Phelps is a great sprinter, but it doesn’t make him a great gymnast.
In fact, often, when fitness is carried to the extremes, it makes you quite unhealthy. For instance, 50% of all people who have done more than 100 marathons in their lifetime have heart damage. Boxers get hit in the head repeatedly, and even though their endurance and speed is incredible, their brain function, even while they are active fighters isn’t great.
In an ideal situation, we want to be both fit and healthy. In fact, health is a prerequisite for fitness. Sure, you can be fit and unhealthy. But your performance and results would be much better if you were both fit and healthy. That’s what we aim to do with the clients who are on our Precision Body Transformation Program.
Short Summary
- Fitness and health are not the same thing.
- Health is the optimal functioning of your different body systems and organs
- Fitness is your suitability to do a task.
- Fitness is task-specific.
