What does it mean to be fit? Finding a discrete definition is somewhat difficult. According to the dictionary, fitness means: “the quality or state of being fit." (The definition of “fit” is: “sound physically and mentally.") If you find those words somewhat vague, you’re not alone.
And that’s sort of the point, according to exercise experts. Fitness doesn’t have to mean that you’re an ultra-marathoner or that you can perform one pull-up or one hundred. Fitness can mean different things for different people.
“For me, fitness is first and foremost about feeling good and being able to move without pain,” says the certified strength and conditioning specialist Grayson Wickham, a New YorkCity–based physical therapist and the founder of Movement Vault, a mobility and movement company. He explains that true fitness is about feeling healthy and being in sufficient shape to do the activities you want to do and live the lifestyle you want to live. Can you play with your kids orgrandkids? If hiking the Inca Trail is on your bucket list, can you do it? Do you feel good after a day spent gardening? Are you able to climb all the necessary the stairs in your life without getting winded or having to take a break?
physical fitness should not solely be measured with any one of these or other tests or evaluations, he adds. It's much more complex. You wouldn’t, for instance, use one factor (such as blood pressure) to measure someone’s overall health, Dr. Jonesco says. Blood pressure is a useful test to monitor for cardiovascular disease, but it doesn't indicate whether or not someone has cancer or dementia.
“Physical fitness should be considered a balance of many of the aforementioned measures, but also many more intangible measures, too,” Jonesco explains, including “your outlook on not just your body, but your attitude toward your own health and wellness.”
Traditionally, experts have defined five key components of physical fitness: body composition (the relative proportion of fat and fat-free tissue in the body), cardiorespiratory or aerobic fitness, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance, according to the American College of Sports Medicine . But you can’t discount the impact of nutrition, sleep, and mental and emotional health on fitness either, says Jeffrey E. Oken, MD, deputy chief of staff at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois.
That means looking fit doesn’t mean you actually are.
“Some individuals obsess on their physical appearance and numbers but are motivated by low self-esteem and criticize the flaws of their physical appearance. Some sacrifice rest and sleep in order to achieve further success but, in turn, drive their body into illness or burnout,” Jonesco says. “Fitness is a truly a spectrum of physical well-being that must balance our physical and emotional motivations.”
When all of the components of fitness are balanced, physically and mentally, we get the most benefit.
Being Fit Boosts Energy, Mood, Sleep, and Your Immune System
Because fitness is the state of being physically able to live the happy, fulfilling life you want — the first and most obvious payoff of achieving fitness is high quality of life.
Physical activity is also connected to better focus and productivity. A study published in the May 2015 issue of the journal Psychophysiology suggests this is because exercise increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
Staying Fit Benefits Long-Term Health in Big Ways
While the immediate gratification of fitness is awesome, you can’t forget that you may not notice many of the greatest benefits of fitness for years, or even decades.
For example, studies consistently link physical fitness with improved longevity.According to a study published in the October 2013 issue of Lancet Oncology, when your body becomes fitter, it lengthens its chromosomes’ protective caps, called telomeres. Thosetelomeres are in charge of determining how quickly your cells age. That means keeping them in top shape (being fit) can help lengthen your life span.What’s more, improved fitness drastically reduces the risk of chronic diseases that develop over the course of many years, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. And a rapidly growing body of research suggests being fit may help prevent dementia, too. “The one thing that will help prevent almost any type of disease is fitness,” Wickham says.
And in addition to all those benefits, fitness can help you live better and stronger through the years. One out of every three adults age 60 and older suffers from severe levels of muscle loss, called sarcopenia, according to data published in the November 2014 issue of the journal Age and Ageing. Additional research shows that the condition contributes to fat gain, low mobility and function, falls, and even death in older adults, but that exercise can help prevent this effect of aging.
Why Being Fit Helps With Chronic Disease Management
Getting regular exercise and keeping your body fit helps lower your risk of chronic problems, like heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. But what about the chronic problems that do show up? Across the board, physical activity and maintaining fitness usually helps.
You may need to modify your exercise routines or take specific precautions depending on your symptoms, according to information from the Mayo Clinic. (Be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program and discuss any limitations or modifications you should be aware of.)
But for most people, regular activity can help with such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, back pain, arthritis, and cancer. And maintaining fitness also helps ward off additional conditions you might otherwise be at risk for.