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.” (1) (The definition of “fit” is: “sound physically and mentally.”) (2) 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?
But 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.”
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.
Research links fitness to:
- Increased energy levels (4)
- Better work-life balance, according to a study in the November/December issue of the journal Human Resource Management (5)
- Stronger immunity (6)
- Sounder sleep (7)
Some research suggests that increasing your fitness through exercise may help mild to moderate depression just as much as medication. (8)
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. (Patience, patience.)
For example, studies consistently link physical fitness with improved longevity. (12) 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. (13) 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 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.” (1) (The definition of “fit” is: “sound physically and mentally.”) (2) 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?
But 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.”
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.
Research links fitness to:
- Increased energy levels (4)
- Better work-life balance, according to a study in the November/December issue of the journal Human Resource Management (5)
- Stronger immunity (6)
- Sounder sleep (7)
Some research suggests that increasing your fitness through exercise may help mild to moderate depression just as much as medication. (8)
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. (Patience, patience.)
For example, studies consistently link physical fitness with improved longevity. (12) 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. (13) 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.