We can think of fitness as our body’s ability to do a wide variety of different types of movements well.
We should be good at cardio (run, swim, bike, jump rope, etc.). We should be strong (able to lift and throw heavy objects). We should be proficient gymnastics (good at body weight movements like push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups).
As we improve in each of these areas of our fitness all of our measurable health markers will also improve.
For example:
- Cardio helps us to increase our VO2 Max (our bodies ability to utilize oxygen as an energy source).
- Resistance training helps us to have strong bones, healthy organs, and build or maintain muscle mass.
- Gymnastics helps to build our proprioception, also known as our “sixth sense”; it is our awareness of our body position and movement.
All of these movements require the use of energy (aka they help us to burn calories which allows us to maintain or reduce body fat), and they help us to create more “feel good neurotransmitters” (endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, etc.) that boost our mood!
For a quick minute I want to go over what Fitness isn’t. Fitness is not the number you see on the scale. Fitness is not what you see when you look in the mirror. Fitness is not the size of pants or shirt you wear. There is a variety of people all around the world. Some of them look fit, but when put to the test, do not excel in some areas of fitness. On the other hand, I have seen individuals that do not look as fit as others, but test better in all these areas of fitness.
What does this all mean? These movements, combined with the proper nutrition to support your health and fitness and not body fat, you will improve the numbers you see on the scale, enjoy the image you see in the mirror, and feel comfortable in the clothes you are wearing. These are the results we are looking for to help us to look good, and feel good; they help increase both how healthy we are today and how healthy we remain over time (longevity).
Are you ready to improve your fitness?
