A stereotypical (and to an extent prejudiced) picture of a fit person is based on his or her body weight i.e. how thin he or she looks to the eye.
But, if experts are to be believed, this should not always be the basis of judging your fit and fatlevels. You can be slightly overweight, yet religiously follow a healthy lifestyle (read: Moderated lifestyle) and you might be healthier than a skinny person who fails to workout.
Some experts believe that our body weight and BMI ( Body Mass Index) is not the best judge of physical fitness levels. Cardiovascular fitness is a better marker of our health in totality rather than just looking at the drop in weight.
Is our weight and BMI the ultimate judge of our overall health? Yes, we can alleviate the risks of obesity and other lifestyle diseases (caused due to obesity) by exercising on a regular basis. But this might not always result in a big shift in body weight, as age, gender and many other variables affect how much we ultimately weigh. Thus, maintaining a healthy weight alone does not always equal optimal health or fitness levels. Even small amounts of weight loss can maximize health benefits in the long run.
Being underweight is in no way synonymous with being healthy. It leads to an increase in mortality risk as you age. Aiming at an attainable weight loss goal, while maintaining optimum fitness levels is the right way forward. At no point must weight loss alone become your sole health goal. Further reading: Am I skinny fat?
Measuring Your Fitness Level. To find out if you really are fit while being overweight, follow these simple fitness measuring exercises:
- Climb stairs at home. A simple stair-climbing test will determine your fitness level. See if you can climb 2 to 3 flights of stairs without breathing heavily.
- Time your workout. In order to determine whether you are fit or fat, time your workout in a way that you can comfortably exercise for 30 to 40 minutes, Check on your heart rate. Experts say that if you are in healthy shape, your heart rate will be lower as compared to unfit people who's heart rate levels are bound to elevate right after walking for five minutes.
- Take a simple treadmill test. Under a trainer's supervision, this will help in determining your cardiovascular fitness.
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