Fat & Fit vs Healthy & Trim Pt.1

It’s a statement that I have been trying to explain to my clients recently and it seems to have sparked a good a debate.

 

Can you be fit and fat?

 

What is it to be Fit?  The word fit is an adjective, a word used to describe a level of suitability for a task or event. Within the health & Fitness industry we usual use the word in a simple black and white term- either being ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’.

 

However, we now know from recent studies that  ‘being fit’ is not so black and white.

To be “metabolically fit” means to be in a position where you have no high blood pressure, cholesterol or raised blood sugar, and exercising, according to experts.

 

Are you metabolically fit?

A study conducted at the University of South Carolina, where more than 43,000 US people were tested, showed more than a third of the participants were obese, but this did not necessarily pose any health risks.

 

Of these 18,500, half were assessed as ‘metabolically healthy’ after a physical examination and lab tests.

This subset of metabolically healthy obese people who did not suffer from conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, were generally fitter and exercised more than the other obese people.

 

And their risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer was ‘identical’ to people of ideal weight and was half that of "metabolically less fit" or “unfit” obese people.

Lead researcher Dr Francisco Ortega, who currently works at the University of Granada in Spain, said “the findings show that getting more exercise can keep you healthier, even if you still carry a bit of extra weight”.

 

When I read up on this, my initial reaction was “this cant be right?” But there are several studies that support this theory. 

I was like “I need to keep this a secret, surely I can’t be telling my clients know its ‘OK’ to be overweight?”

But before you call me a hypocrite and rush out and buy a month’s supply of pringles and dairy milk,

Hold on a mo…

 

 

There is no debating that being ‘healthy’ and being ‘fit’ are two different things and you can’t be overweight/fat and be your optimal healthiest best. That is a fact.

 

 

 

You CAN be over overweight/fat and be fit though.

 

You’ve probably seen it for yourself, obese people or overweight people running and completing a marathon or watching the WSM (Worlds strongest man) competition on TV with guys that look like they’ve come straight out of fat school.

 

 

 

How is that?

Well, these folk or have all trained to be competent at a particular event or task making them ‘Fit’ for a task or suitable for a event.

Anyone can attain a certain level of fitness and become ‘Fit’, but to be truely healthy is a way of life and only really measureable over a long length of time not a timed event.

 

Also, you don’t have to be over weight to be over fat. Remember my before and after photos? You can be very thin and still be over fat which is not in keeping with your ideal health.

 

Where you store your fat is also a factor. We are all different and will store fat in different areas of the body. The two terms used to classify obesity according to fat storage and distribution are Android and Gynoid. A person described as an android will typically store fat around his or her abdominal region. This where the term ‘apple shape’ comes from.

 

Based on a study conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, those who are android obese/overfat are more at risk of having illnesses related to obesity like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and becoming diabetic.

 

 

 

In addition, the likelihood of developing gout, arterial-related diseases as evidenced by heightened blood pressure and many kinds of cancers are linked to the central type of fat distribution.

 

Android obesity can also be manifested in other areas of the upper trunk like the upper chest (front or back) nape area of the neck, and even the shoulders. It is said that if this type of obesity is experienced by a woman, she will also develop a more masculine feature like the growth of more hairs throughout the body called hirsutism.

Female android obese usually have more fat than men suffering the same.

 

For the Gynoid type of obesity or fat distribution, the excess fat are being deposited somewhere at the hip and thigh areas. Their hips are rounded and their buttocks generally look larger than normal. Thus, people who are Gynoid obese are called pear obese because they have a body form that looks strikingly similar to the shape of the pear fruit. But despite such, Gynoid obese individuals are said to be at a much safer position than the android obese individuals for they are less at risk in developing chronic illnesses linked to obesity and overweight.

 

Recently, a number of my Optimum Health clients had their body fat percentage measured. As well as seeing an improvement in their fitness they now have a better understanding of their fat percentage and their risk health issues.

 

Getting fit is important but aiming to be healthier and reducing your risk of certain health conditions should be your priority.

 

Reducing your body fat percentage is not too hard to achieve once you know what to do and what works best for you. You can even start today by doing 3 simple things.

 

 

1.     Drink 3-4 litres of quality water every day

2.     Reduce Sugar in your diet

3.     Walk as often as possible

 

 

 

If you’re wanting to know how you can lose 2-5lbs of unwanted body before Christmas ‘the easy way’ reserve you place on our Seminar on the 6^th of November start time 7.20pm

 

You’ll learn some simple secrets that you can apply straight way that will have you looking Slim & Trim in time for Christmas!

 

 

Part 2 will be with you next week!