I asked four friends from differing backgrounds to define fitness. Fitness for one person may be running a 5K without stopping while another person may define fitness as climbing stairs without getting out of breath. I believe that fitness is a very personal thing and there is no right or wrong answer. I hope the following points of view will help you in your journey to a lifetime of fitness.
Nathan Tackett is a runner and triathlete. He has competed in many triathlons including an Ironman, marathons, and 50 miler. He is my husband and inspires me and many of our friends and family to increase our level of fitness. Here is his definition of fitness:
From the perspective of someone who enjoys endurance events, fitness is easy to define: the ability to put one foot in front of the other even when my body begs me to stop. Pretty simple, right? The problem is that a sprinter will read this and insist that fitness is the ability to channel all of one’s power into a short explosion of speed. Then a football player will shake his head and make a compelling case that strength and coordination are the fundamentals of fitness.
These different – and valid – definitions easily can be reconciled when fitness is viewed as a direction rather than a destination. Fitness gives us the ability to do the things that we want to do. Clearly, different people will take different paths to achieve their different goals. But, fitness, itself, should not be the goal.
Dawn Kruse is a vegetarian, chicken farmer, and good friend. She recently began on a journey to live a healthier life. Here is her view of fitness:
When I think about what fitness is I picture a… well… fit person. You know, someone in a Nike sports bra gracefully running like it is effortless. I think that person would be considered physically fit. Maintaining a ideal body type through physical activity. I do think it is a bit more complex than that though. If being fit was as easy as going for a run we would all be fit, right?
I think fitness is made up of many different aspects. I think a person could be physically fit but not mentally fit. Or maybe someone keeps a lean body by working out constantly but eats a horrible diet. Maintaining a balance in all aspects of your life is needed to achieve fitness.
I would imagine that maintaining fitness is always a work in progress. You can’t fix everything at once. As I embark on my own journey to fitness I have realized that it is not something that can be attained overnight. It takes hard work and focus. It takes the desire to be fit in an unfit society. Fitness is not always fun….
I have asked myself in moments of despair, why am I doing this? This journey to fitness. My answer is that I want to experience my body functioning how it is supposed to. Not weighed down by years of over eating and lack of exercise.I don’t want to be restricted or hindered in doing the kinds of things I want to do because of my weight or my body’s level of efficiency. I want to be free to tackle everyday activities and other challenges by having my body and mind be fit enough to take on whatever I choose to. I have had a taste of what is to come. My body prefers to be fit. It was made to be fit. I just have to do the things to allow my body to act how it was designed to.
My personal belief is that fitness begins with how we nourish our bodies. I know that when I eat properly I have more energy to tackle the exercise that is needed. When I consume whole foods my mind remains more clear. I am not controlled by cravings or drops in blood sugar. I have the desire to do the necessary things to maintain a fit lifestyle. For me, I had to get control of what was going into my body as a first step.
Next up in my journey to fitness is the mental and physical aspects. I already see those things improving due to my improved eating habits. I have the desire to take up jogging and yoga. I have the desire to straighten out some emotional issues that are tied to my addiction to food. I wish that more people were willing to seek outside help with emotional issues that are tied to food. I think there are so many of us out there. Like it or not, I have to address my emotions if I ever expect to achieve a good level of fitness.
I know that this is a lifelong journey. It won’t be easy and it won’t always be fun. The rewards, however, are endless. I look forward to a life free of the emotional issues that have plagued me for years. A life free of the food addictions that have ravaged my body. I am striving for a life full of health, proper nutrition, physical activity, and close personal relationships. A life full of fitness.
Scott Passman is a doctor of physical therapy student and personal trainer. He is also an Ironman and has competed in many triathlons, marathons, and 50 mile runs. Here is his take on fitness:
What is fitness? As simple of a question as that seems, it is really quite difficult to answer. There is no objective bar that we can measure people against to say they are either fit or unfit. Yet, we all still strive to reach this self-made point. ‘Fitness’ is invariably a term that means something different to everybody. I personally believe that fitness is a continual pursuit to reach and/or maintain a level of physical conditioning that allows one to complete their everyday activities without undue fatigue, while also being able to pursue or participate in whatever it is he or she enjoys. Obviously, this depiction allows for a wide margin of interpretation. However, I feel a broad interpretation is necessary because individuals who engage in athletic or sporting events are almost certainly going to have higher standards of fitness for themselves compared to those who strive for fitness as a means to maintain their health and function.
Holly Nikels, PhD, LCPC is a counseler and friend. I was interested in her take on fitness from the mental health angle. Holly explored the Mind/Body/Spirit Connection to Wellness:
The concept of the body-mind connection is not a new one in the field of mental health. Early psychologists noted the connection between a healthy mind and a healthy body. Today that connection is typically discussed using the term “wellness”. Wellness can incorporate a number of life dimensions, including the physical, emotional and spiritual domains.
A look at the diagram below shows us these three primary domains of wellness. This diagram is a product of the work of Dr. Victor Frankl, an Austrian physician and psychologist who studied with Sigmund Freud. Like most of Freud’s students, Frankl eventually disagreed with his teacher, and developed his own theories about mental health. Frankl’s theories about the mind-body connection were put to the ultimate test when he was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps (Aushwitz & Dachau) from 1942-1945. Almost all of his immediate family died in the Holocaust. A concentration camp in Nazi Germany was surely a grim, depressing experience- but Frankl found that those individuals who created meaning from their surroundings, and those who were able to find ways to nurture their minds, bodies and spirits, even under the most horrific conditions, fared better throughout their time than those who did not.
So what does that mean for those of us not living in a concentration camp- but instead, living in the twenty-first century? It means that emotional, spiritual and physical “fitness” go hand in hand (and hand- as it were). It means that when we take care of our bodies (through exercise and healthy eating) our minds and spirits are more “fit”. It means that when we nurture our spiritual side (seeking meaning and purpose in life- however we may find that) our bodies and minds reap the benefits of that and are healthier for it. And it means that when we are emotionally well (when we understand and accept our feelings, maintain a positive outlook, and have the ability to effectively cope with stress) our bodies and spirits feel the impact of that as well.
The three are inter-connected. Health and wellness are dependent upon finding “fitness” in these three areas. The beauty of it is that when you work in one domain- the others are impacted. The trick- just like with everything- is to find your balance.
