How fit do you need to be?

With all the talk of health and fitness these days it seems only reasonable to ask the question, how fit do you need to be. I’m sure some people see articles and blog posts on fitness and wonder what all the fuss is about. Maybe they’ve never really asked themselves why there’s any real need to be fit. Mabye they couldn’t be bothered one way or the other. If that’s the case there’s probably nothing I could say that would convince them that fitness is something we should all aspire to, but you know what … I’ll try anyway.

Do you need to be muscular, broad shouldered and built like a tank to be fit? Hardly! It’s not exactly a requirement. If you’re female, do you need to be slim and shapely to be fit? Not really. These are two pretty extreme examples of fitness, one for a male and one for a female. It’s easy to be drawn in to the idea that you need to conform to one of these ideals if you’re to be successful in some way. Clearly, looking at the general population, that’s not the norm. It’s not easy for a man to become really muscular and slim-waisted, or for a woman to achieve the shapeliness that magazine covers like to portray as desirable. It’s not easy, and it’s not necessary.

Unrealistic ideals

Magazine covers and ads for health foods, protein drinks and fitness gear tend to feature muscular guys and shapely young women, and that’s understandable. If you were trying to sell a magazine, or any kind of health-related product, you probably wouldn’t choose to feature ‘average’ looking people on your covers, or in your ads. It wouldn’t do much for sales!

But the fact is that inevitably it gives the impression that you have to conform to these, largely unattainable, ideals. Even with proper training and sensible eating, you won’t always reach the kind of ideal image you see on magazine covers. It’s just not that easy. But nobody’s going to tell you that (wouldn’t do much for sales, as I already pointed out). Sadly though, the result of all this is that people get very disappointed if and when they do strive for fitness, because the results they achieve often fall short of the ‘ideals’ they’ve seen portrayed everywhere they look.

Which brings me back to the reason for this blog post. I think it’s as well to be fair and honest about what is achievable, and, more importantly, get to the root of why you need to be fit in the first place. It’s not to look like a Greek god, or a nubile, shapely glamour girl (although if you manage that, good for you!), it’s for a different set of reasons … or should be.

Reasons to strive to be fit

First and foremost among the reasons to be ft is for your health. That is, after all, what ‘fit’ really means. It means to be fit to do certain things. To be capable. And it you achieve that you might very well look a whole lot better than you did before, but that’s a bonus, nothing more. The prime reason for getting fit is to become healthier.

And by healthy, I don’t just mean not ill. There’s more to being healthy than just the absence of disease. If you’re healthy, you feel better. You’re filled with an undefinable sense of wellbeing, a kind of sparkle and zest for life that only comes from good health. You move more easily. You can stoop and bend and reach without pain. You can lift things easier. You can breathe easier. You can do your work more easily and more effectively.

What it means in everyday life

The upshot of this is that you can get on with your life much more easily and comfortably. You can enjoy your leisure time better. You can play sports, if you want to. You can delve into what life has to offer. You needn’t feel limited.

If you’re fitter, you can play with your kids. You needn’t feel that they look on you as some doddery old person, barely able to get up off the couch. They’ll see you as someone to aspire to. If you can be fit, at your age, they’re more likely to grow up with an appreciation of health and fitness too. And when you have grandchildren (if you’re lucky enough to have them) you’ll be able to fill the role of an older, fitter person for them to aspire to as well. The fact is, you will be an example to the youngsters, whether you like it or not, or whether you intend to or not. You will be, just by being their parent (or grandparent). Your only choice in the matter is whether you’ll be a good example, or the other kind.

Be an example worthy of the name

If you’re going to be an example – and you will be, as I’ve just pointed out – choose to be a good one. You don’t want to be heavy handed in bringing up your kids, so the simplest and best thing you can do is become a shining example. Provide the kind of example to them that inspires them. That kind of inspiration is the kind that gets results. They will follow your example. They will anyway, most likely, whether you like it or not, and if you provide a bad example you won’t be doing them any favours. But if you provide a good example, the kind you’ll be proud to provide, then you’ll have done something valuable. And yes, they will follow it.

This is discipline. Not beating kids, or berating them for not being perfect, that’s not the way. This is real discipline, in the real meaning of the word. It comes from the same root as ‘disciple’, meaning follower. If you provide a great example, your kids will follow it, i.e. become your disciples. And who could ask for more? If you can pass on some good values you’ll have done a good job, and you can be justly proud.

A richer, fuller life

So, one reason for getting fit is to be an inspiration to others. So now we have a couple of reasons, to be healthier and to be an inspiration. That’s probably enough reason for anyone to get up off the couch and do a bit of work, I’d have thought! Yet still a lot of people aren’t convinced. It’s amazing how many people still don’t make any effort to get fit.

Maybe if I list a few more reasons it could tip the balance …

• As you get fitter you’ll feel better generally
• You’ll feel proud of yourself for having made the effort
• You’ll find you get far fewer infections
• When you do get an infection you’ll find it much easier to fight off
• You’ll wake up feeling refreshed much more often (probably all the time)
• You’ll take on challenges more readily
• You’ll feel ready to take on the world!
• The increased activity will improve your circulation
• The training will strengthen your heart
• The increased circulation to your brain will effectively make your smarter
• ‘Feel-good’ hormones will be more readily produced in your body
• Increased activity is likely to help prevent Alzheimer’s, according to recent research
• You’ll sleep more soundly if you exercise
• Your bones will become stronger, making osteoporosis less likely
• You’re an animal (sorry to break it to you!), and animals need exercise!
• Exercising increases your confidence and self esteem
• Exercise boosts your metabolism, making it easier to shift stubborn fat
• Your digestive system will improve markedly
• Exercise has been shown to be a preventative measure with certain cancers
• Exercise improves your libido!
• If you exercise regularly you’ll find wounds heal more quickly and cleanly
• Exercise improves your appetite
• Exercise can effectively reverse ageing through the production of growth hormone
• Exercise can help you become more relaxed and less prone to anxiety
• Heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, stroke, some cancers, high blood pressure – all less likely if you exercise regularly

Now it’s up to you!

So there you have it, plenty of reasons to get fit. But don’t think for a moment that you have to exercise like an Olympian if you want to get in shape. Any exercise at all will do you good, and specially if you haven’t exercised for a long time.

If reading this has spurred you on to take up exercise, please do it sensibly. Start slowly and just do a little. As you get used to exercising, add a little more and up the pace a bit. Just take it easy and don’t ruin a good thing by going overboard.

If you start slowly and sensibly you won’t suffer from overtraining , and you’ll move on from baby steps to giant leaps forward!