What is "fit", to you?

DonnasWay0805

Being 56... I started at 50.. I have lost and maintained a 90 lb loss. It's 30 min of fitness at least 3 to 4 times a week. And eating clean as possible with a calorie deficit. I will do this the rest of my life... It's simple and sustainable❤️

cwolfman13

SuzySunshine99 wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's a great benchmark of fitness, but this is something my husband told me after I lost weight, and it stuck with me...

We were on a hike, and slogged up a particularly steep set of switchbacks. At the top, we were both out of breath and needed to stop.

Once I could talk, I said, "I thought we were in better shape than this!" He said, "You can be really fit and still get out of breath...it's more about your recovery time." Within 30 seconds of stopping, we were both breathing normally and ready to move again.

It could be BS, but for me, I pay attention to how long it takes me to go from totally out of breath, unable to talk...to recovered and ready to press on.

I did a stress test in 2014 at a cardiologists office...that was a big part of it. My dad had just passed from a heart attack and I have a lot of the crappy genetics my dad has so my Dr. wanted to get it checked out. Uphill battle for me, but I passed that thing with flying colors.

Hamiltonfamily2018

I think “fit” looks different to and on everyone obviously- for my own body, I just want to look my fittest that I’ve seen on myself. That means, slight definition, but still slightly thick where: “I know that chick works out, but I can also tell she does a Winnie the Pooh dance while she eats.”

As I was getting dressed the other day it was a really nice to hear my husband say after 6 weeks of my dedication to getting back in shape for the first time: “You’re losing weight eh? You’re starting to look like....” he stops and thinks and then says: “You’re starting to look like the old Heather.” And that’s all I want- I want to be the best version on me, not someone else.

fitnessguy266

Individual perspective and preference, for sure with this one. After much trial and error with learning how to progressively build muscle and improve my overall health, my BF% and day to day energy have a direct correlation to how "fit" I feel. For myself personally, I feel at my best and "fit" at 9% BF.

33gail33

I want to get my resting heart rate down, I guess that is what "fit" means to me. I remember years ago in my early 40s my doctor telling me it was excellent at 58 bpm. Now I am 55 and it is running about 70. If I can improve my cardio fitness I think the rest is a bonus.

iFartMagic

Honestly? After losing 80 lbs, being fit has been reduced to being able to walk the supermarket without my blood pressure bottoming out, or get out of bed without being out of breath. Never going back.

MikePfirrman

Over the years, as I've gotten more in shape, I think my definition has risen to a higher bar. But I do think that certain elements of cardio, strength, and perhaps even flexibility, should be included.

I suppose that a certain benchmark of certain lifts or cardio ability would be helpful in a true determination of fitness. But what I find also with age (I'll be 57 this year) is that some that can't run any more can bike or row or do other activities that are also hard -- just different -- than running.

Also, with lifting, joint problems start to crop up. For instance, I can't do heavy deadlifts any longer (and I know few that are close to 60 that can), but I do other workarounds in order to lift some decent amounts of weight.

I tend to agree with Ann -- it becomes more and more about functional fitness and ability to do the physical things you love and do them well enough or even better than a lot of younger folks.

I recently moved my daughter across country. There were three twenty/early 30 something females -- none of them in terrible shape. But I was the one that ran boxes up and down 3 flights of stairs for two days, nearly non stop. I'm not exaggerating when I say 40 to 50 times a day, for two days solid, while carrying weight. To me, that's the reason why I do the "fitness" stuff -- to have the strength and stamina to do things like this. My daughter finished college nearly 10 years ago. Doing this kind of thing at my age is usually impossible for most.

ninerbuff

IMO, "fit" is applied to the physical fitness you need to do whatever sport, hobby, job, etc. If you can do it well without gassing out or passing out, then you're fit for it. I'm fit for kickboxing, but not for long distance running. Same for weight lifting, but not for working on a farm.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

SunnyBunBun79

Having just one chin 🤪

NorthCascades

Fitness to me means cardiovascular health and aerobic capacity - having a good VO2max. Unless we're talking about Darwin. 😉. I agree everybody should have functional strength, that isn't part of my understanding of what fit means. Maybe that will change. Aesthetics has even less (than nothing) to do with it.

The guys in le tour de France are extremely fit. They look like they're in a concentration camp, some of them look like they might not be able to lift the bikes they ride.

Having strength and muscle is a good thing, I just think it falls under a different word.

J72FIT

ninerbuff wrote: »

IMO, "fit" is applied to the physical fitness you need to do whatever sport, hobby, job, etc. If you can do it well without gassing out or passing out, then you're fit for it. I'm fit for kickboxing, but not for long distance running. Same for weight lifting, but not for working on a farm.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Yeah I would also add there is the idea of general fitness, being fit for every day life and sport specific fitness. And of course within that context are different levels of fitness...

mummysinthekitchen

Sorry, late to the party as always.

My idea of fit for myself is to be able to wear a bikini at the beach with my kids and not have my girls gain an idea of body hating or being ashamed of how they look from watching me.

Also, to be able to keep up with my Son and his love of mountain biking and hiking for hours.

I'm not quite there yet on any score but I will be this year!

Beverly2Hansen

Not fighting for my life when I walk up a hill for starters. Catching my breath after running across a street quickly. Being able to walk 5 miles a day. 30 legitimate push ups per day, 30 weighted squats per day and 30 donkey kicks. I consider that "fit". To be fit and healthy though I must also have a decent diet and weigh 130-140lbs at 5'5".

LisaGetsMoving

My idea of fit is keeping up with the grandkids.

SabrinaJL

WandRsmom wrote: »

For me personally my idea of fit, *for myself* has changed over the yrs. I grew up (born in 79) believing i was *too large * to be fit for a woman. I was not overweight just what ppl called " broad shouldered , tall "... " Built like a linebacker" (direct quotes said to me basically from birth). And at that time women were to be Kate Moss thin. They weren't meant to be so "large"

Yep. I got those exact same comments (also, "strong for a girl"). I didn't really realize what they were talking about when they said "broad-shouldered" until I lost weight and started trying to buy nice women's clothes (instead of wearing unisex tshirts all the time). Then I was like, "Oh. That's what they mean." It's annoying when clothes shopping but when I looked at my sister-in-law and her narrow, rounded shoulders, I realized I actually LIKE my broad shoulders.

For me, fit is not getting winded when doing doing moderately strenuous things, being able to lift a decent amount without struggling and not having any weight-related health issues. I was put on blood pressure meds when I was 24. One of my main goals was to be able to stop taking them and I achieved that goal after a year of tracking, running and weight lifting.

kenyonhaff

Speakeasy76 wrote: »

I think there are different kinds of "fit," with being physically fit just one component. One can be what many would consider "physically fit," but me a mess emotionally.

As far as being physically fit, I think of it as 2 categories: functionally fit, and aesthetically or "train smart/hard for several years" fit. Within that, as within anything else, there are varying degrees. I'd consider myself functionally fit for the most part: I'm strong enough to complete things I need to do like lift heavy objects and walk up a couple of flights of stairs without getting winded and walk several blocks easily. However, I have some chronic aches/pains that even sometimes make ADL's a bit more difficult, despite working out/strength training regularly.

Aesthetically fit to me is someone who "looks" strong: muscularly defined, can lift really heavy, etc.

This got me thinking to an article I read a few years ago about the exercises you should be able to do if you think you are "really fit," and I could (and still can) only do a few. I had to look it up and see if I could find it (I did), and here they are:
1. L-Sit
2. Windshield Wipers
3. Push Up
4. Pistol Squat
5. Candlestick Roll
6. Handstand

https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/best-bodyweight-exercises-strength?ref=quuu&utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer4d044&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com

I STILL cannot do an L-sit or full range unsupported Pistol Squat.

You always have to take this with a grain of salt, because there are different ways to be physically fit. There's not one universal measure.

For example:

In high school I was a competitive swimmer. There was a mile run that determined if you were as an athlete on an approved team, allowed to opt out of heavy cardio days. There was no other test. So yeah, all us swimmers--even the ones going to States--did terrible on this test. Was this a valid measure of cardio fitness for us? Not really.

This can also become an issue with fitness standards based on male bodies. When tests are on discrete exercises (sit ups, push ups, etc.) women do less well. However, does the amount of push ups done mean a person is more able to handle a combat situation, or negotiate a burning building, or act as a lifeguard?

g2renew

To have enough strength, energy, and focus to do what needs to be done for the length of time it takes to do it and then some left over for 'fun' activities. It is at this point, a hope for the future:-).

Unknown

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Get_Back_To_Feeling_Good

To me fit is being able to enjoy everything life can bring and not think twice about doing it because your to big!