Fitness or Weight?

psuLemon
psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Which is more important to you? A specific number on the scale or a body that is defined and burns a ton of calories? Which one are you and why? I am merely intrigued as it's hard for me to understand why there are so many people on here who eat 1200 calories and are afraid of eating more or their exercise calories. So whats more important?
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Replies

  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    At first it was fitness, because I didn't think I *could* lose weight, since every attempt was either painful or a failure.

    Then when I did start to lose, it was fun and motivating to watch the number drop.

    Now it's about fitness again because, after gaining weight but getting smaller and tighter, I see how meaningless the number on the scale is.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    When I started out last year it was weight, now it is fitness. Having said that, I do still want to lose a little more weight ;)
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Fitness of course. Weight, on its own, is nearly meaningless.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    Health, rather than fitness. I don't want a defined, toned body, lots of muscle or the ability to run for miles. I do want to be a healthy weight, be eating well (for me) and be able to pass that lifestyle on to any future children to start them off right.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    Fitness > Weight :)
  • psiren28
    psiren28 Posts: 530 Member
    Right now it's weight. Once I'm down to my goal I'll focus more on fitness and health but right now I just want to be smaller.
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
    Fitness...the same number on the scale can look completely different on different people
  • rrrbecca11
    rrrbecca11 Posts: 477
    Fitness, def. Got the weight thing down.
  • Jesea
    Jesea Posts: 376 Member
    I can't have both? ;) I would love to be happy with what i see on the scale as well as what I see the mirror!
  • wendyannie1976
    wendyannie1976 Posts: 205 Member
    fitness first, weight is a nice benefit, I've not much to lose and some of the weight i'd like to see gone if i went by the scale only would be lean muscle and well i really need that at the moment, once this years big fitness goal is accomplished in september I'll look at the weight again properly
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    Fitness. Health. Functional strength.

    I have never been overweight though, so yeah, I eat 2000+ calories daily but I think I'm in the minority here. :smile:
  • AngelaeLebron1
    AngelaeLebron1 Posts: 171 Member
    Its about both, I want to see my goal number on the scale & I want to get fit doing it (& continue so afterwards). =)
  • pinkhu13
    pinkhu13 Posts: 133
    Weight then fitness.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Fitness by far. If you eat and train to be fit the BF% and scale will work themselves out over time.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    At first I had this idea of 120 lbs in my head. And now...the weight loss is just kind of a side effect of what I'm trying to achieve. I want to be considered an athlete. I am a runner, but not a great one (it took me around 2:35 to finish my 2nd half marathon....not horrible, but not great), and I want people to see me and think "she must be an athlete." I'd like to become a better runner and lower my body fat % to around 18%, so if I lose another 30 lbs doing that, awesome, if I only lose 10 lbs doing that, that's fine with me too. I just wanna be healthy and fit!
  • erilynbmore
    erilynbmore Posts: 42 Member
    When I started it was weight. Now it's fitness.
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
    Which is more important to you? A specific number on the scale or a body that is defined and burns a ton of calories? Which one are you and why? I am merely intrigued as it's hard for me to understand why there are so many people on here who eat 1200 calories and are afraid of eating more or their exercise calories. So whats more important?

    Fitness, weight loss will come as you become more and more fit.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    This has ALWAYS been about HEALTH for me. If I had been really concerned about a number on the scale (or on the measuring tape, for that matter), I wouldn't have been nearly as successful.
  • bshedwick
    bshedwick Posts: 659 Member
    For me, in the beginning it was about 75% weight and 25% fitness. As the weight came off, the scales tipped more towards fitness.

    Now, that I've hit my goal weight, the weight is not really an issue and its all about toning and fitness for me.
  • firstnamekaren
    firstnamekaren Posts: 274 Member
    Weight. When I get down to a healthy weight, then I'll focus on the fitness. I'm actually really excited about that.
  • dedication6
    dedication6 Posts: 184 Member
    I'd LOVE to look like a competition chick, but not really sure how to eat or workout to look that way. So until I figure that out I'm just trying to get rid of my spare tire.
  • christina0089
    christina0089 Posts: 709 Member
    Both. Because at my weight you just can't have one without the other. I really just want to be healthy. HEALTHY is my bottom line even if my bottom never gets into a size 6. I will take healthy and happy. :heart:
  • margaretmillen
    margaretmillen Posts: 35
    Absolutely FITNESS; toned muscles and all around health is the most important thing... Plus losing weight will happen as a result of good fitness and healthy eating.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    I have wanted to get healthy for a while and knew that my weight was a big factor in my being UNhealthy.

    I could still lose more weight but I am ok with where I am at now. I just want to improve my fitness/health so that can do more things like run a half marathon without any walking in 2:45, play soccer again, learn to play tennis, be comfortable in a swimsuit to take my son to the water park... you know normal stuff!? LOL :smooched:
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 406 Member
    In the beginning, it was all about weight. FOr the first year, it was simply about getting the scale to go down. Then, sort of magically, I began to notice that the more I ran and worked out (to lose weight) the more I cared about what went into my body. I stopped resisting brown rice and whole wheat products .... and over the next year it has just become all about health and fitness. Each month I seem to incorporate more healthy changes and it is easier and easier once it is not about the number but about the lifestyle choices. Now it is about fitness/lifestyle change forever... and I am actually excited to see what happens next! :wink:
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 748 Member
    I don't care what the scale says...I'm not even aiming for an ultimate number goal. I mean I guess I SORT OF am, but ultimately I want an athletes body...I want muscles baby!

    I do aim for numbers when it comes to my mini goals, but that's cause I have no clue what I'm doing. lol I only recently thought about how I will actually GET those muscles because I thought I needed to do tons of cardio and stuff lose all the fat THEN gain muscle, but then I lost some weight via exercise and eating less and I'm not liking my body though it's smaller. I now realize it's cause I've lost some of my muscle and muscle is what makes people look so dern good! I want THAT!
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Definitely fitness. The weight naturally follows.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Which is more important to you? A specific number on the scale or a body that is defined and burns a ton of calories? Which one are you and why?

    Both are important to me, because both are important for health. I exercise because I want to be healthy, which is the same reason I lost weight. But I don't obsess over the number on the scale or body definition. As long as I'm not saggy, not overweight and all my health tests and checkups are good, I'm a happy camper.
  • ryno0618
    ryno0618 Posts: 361
    Fitness for sure.
    But that dumb scale is always in the back of my mind, its hard to overcome worrying about the scale. its just one dumb number. But we've taught ourselves to focus too much on it. its haunting. For instance, I weigh 10lbs more now than I did at my lowest last Fall, but I'm in much better shape now. Weight still pulls at me some times, but I'm learning to focus on BF% and measurements.
  • claire7090
    claire7090 Posts: 67
    Both - it about being healthy for me. So I had to reduce my weight because I wanted to fall within the healthy BMI band (I now have a BMI of 24) and I wanted to tone my body so I had to also go to the gym and get fitter! I am now so pleased with the results and have genuinely changed my lifestyle - I still count calories (but allow myself 1650 a day now I am maintaining) and I still go to the gym twice a week and do a fitness class once a week.
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