Fitness or Weight?

2

Replies

  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    It's about both for me. I don't need to be ripped or anything, but I definitely want the definition. So I guess for me, it's about body fat and having a healthy, active, fun lifestyle? :)
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I can lie all I want but it is about weight for me. I'm trying to make it about fitness, I tell myself over and over it is all about muscle mass and looking good. But that scale and the way I feel when I see one number compared to another, I can't deny I want a smaller number.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Fitness by far. If you eat and train to be fit the BF% and scale will work themselves out over time.

    And this is the whole point to my post. I see so many people get stuck on a number that they forget weight won't determine how you look in a bathing suit but body fat will.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    For me it's definitely WEIGHT. Like, how much weight I can lift on a bar.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    For me it's definitely WEIGHT. Like, how much weight I can lift on a bar.

    LOVE IT!!!!


    BTW, sick picture.
  • BlueEyesXoXo
    BlueEyesXoXo Posts: 99
    Fitness. I love the feeling of getting stronger!
  • MrsR0SE
    MrsR0SE Posts: 313 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.

    This! But focussing on losing the weight through exercising and eating less is helping with the fitness :)
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
    You don't look at someone and say "wow they look light"

    You say "wow, they look fit"


    So fitness definitely!!
  • nicehormones
    nicehormones Posts: 503 Member
    I want to be healthy and fit. So I obviously want to get down to a healthy weight and have a body that can accomplish the fitness goals that I want to do. But if I don't look "thin" or whatever, I am happy. I want to look fit, not skinny.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    Fitness, for sure. I want to be strong and fast, and look like it. :smile:

    I focused heavily on losing the weight at first, but now that I'm approximately in my goal range, I'm more focused on fitness (it was always there, but now it's where my goals are.)
  • sh0ck
    sh0ck Posts: 168 Member
    Right now on the borderline of neither but am going for a little mixture of both.
  • ShellyAnnPaulson
    ShellyAnnPaulson Posts: 27
    Well, being bigger I have to say weight for me, but sure, I want to be fit too! I want my health back, but for me right now honestly I just want to see that scale go down!
  • triplejay1
    triplejay1 Posts: 84 Member
    Well, i want to be fit, but my the scale helps be see how well im doing, at least till i can afford to buy more equipment.
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    A few years ago I was at the salon getting my hair done by a twig of a girl and we started talking about the C25K program. She proceeded to tell me that she was so completely out of shape that she couldn't even jog for one block the week before. Up to that point, I have to admit that I was one of those that believed that as long as I could get skinny, I would be healthy and fit. From that day on I did what I needed to do to actually educate myself on what it truly means to be a fit person. Last August, after training for six months, I rode in a 125 mile bicycle ride at 168lbs and there were much smaller people in the ride that were getting picked up by the sweep vans - I finished every single mile. What an awesome feeling that was!

    I took several months off of being good to my body after that ride and that is why I am back here. Of course it feels good to see the scale go down when you are considered obese by BMI but that definitely is not my focus and never will be again.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
    A few years ago I was at the salon getting my hair done by a twig of a girl and we started talking about the C25K program. She proceeded to tell me that she was so completely out of shape that she couldn't even jog for one block the week before. Up to that point, I have to admit that I was one of those that believed that as long as I could get skinny, I would be healthy and fit. From that day on I did what I needed to do to actually educate myself on what it truly means to be a fit person. Last August, after training for six months, I rode in a 125 mile bicycle ride at 168lbs and there were much smaller people in the ride that were getting picked up by the sweep vans - I finished every single mile. What an awesome feeling that was!

    I took several months off of being good to my body after that ride and that is why I am back here. Of course it feels good to see the scale go down when you are considered obese by BMI but that definitely is not my focus and never will be again.

    I bet that was awesome! Good for you. I'm 169# right now and training for back-to-back century rides this summer (Seattle to Portland) and they don't offer any sweep vans. You don't make it, you arrange your own rescue ride. Failure is not an option, LOL.

    I started this journey focused on weight but in the last few months, my goals are focused on fitness goals (strength and endurance) and losing inches. The weight loss seems to be following along just fine. I only weigh weekly because I'm in a family contest which requires it. If I had my way, I probably wouldn't weigh more than once a month.
  • annameier8706
    annameier8706 Posts: 417 Member
    A first I was all about loosing weight. But I am now focusing on lowering my body fat %. I know it's just another number, but it's one that means more fitness-wise.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    It's always been about health and fitness for me. Weight loss comes along on the ride.
  • theprettyone1010
    theprettyone1010 Posts: 408 Member
    I'll admit to being extremely vain (thus the screenname). I want to weigh 145. I want to see that number on the scale. A number I haven't seen since maybe 6th grade? And then maybe after I get to 145, I'll care about fitness. But honestly, I don't give a hoot right now.
  • dmouse0225
    dmouse0225 Posts: 104
    Started as weight. But I had a lot to lose! Now that I am closer to my goal, it is definitely fitness/health. I am still working towards a weight loss goal, but now it is really about toning and meeting workout goals (i.e. run faster/farther, lift heavier, etc). I used to get really upset if the # on the scale didn't move as much as I hoped. Now, I just move on, knowing that as long as I continue with a healthier lifestyle, I will get where I need to be. :)
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Still weight. But I'm also focussing on fitness.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I want bodyfat %, really. I'm actually pretty okay with where I am strength-wise, although I need more cardio endurance.

    But I could do with less around the middle.
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    when I started last June it was about getting some weight off to relieve back pain as I couldn't even sit up in wheelchair long enough to go out for a few hours. My first goal was top end of healthy for my height (147lbs).. I was 175lbs when I started. I thought it be really slow cos have underactive thyroid but once I dropped wheat and lost 18lbs in one month I got really encouraged as weight started coming off faster then I had expected and passed my xmas goal which had been 154lbs and i reached 143lbs for xmas day so was thrilled!

    Then it went to weight.. I wanted to be same weight as at uni when I was young and fit so changed goal to 133lbs (5lbs off) but now I'd also like to complete my Wii Fit game which says I should be 9st 3 (129lbs) , which would mean even with monthly cycle I will stay under 10st. At the minute it's about weight and not seeing anything over 10st(140lbs) on the scales, and I want my tummy smaller so can go down another size.
  • sconns21
    sconns21 Posts: 92 Member
    I'm already quite fit so it's more for health than weight. I binge on chocolates and sugary snacks and it makes me feel tired all of the time. I don't have a massive issue with my weight apart from the fact that it hinders my sports. It's much easier to climb when you're lighter and I was doing yoga the other day and couldn't lunge deeper into the pose because the fat around the top of my thigh was getting in the way grrr.

    :)
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Fitness, all the way.

    Having never been thin, thin is just not a priority anymore. I'm happy with how I look (fatter or thinner). And besides, I'd have given up by now after several months of stagnating numbers on the scales. I think of weight loss as a fab side effect of getting fitter, and the dropping numbers certainly are motivating.

    The important thing for me was to get fitter- I have young kids and I realised that if i don't stop being such a sloth not only am I going to teach them bad lifestyle choices, I may never see my grandkids if I die of a heart attack first.

    Now I run. A lot.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    I am actually surprised by the amount of people who care about being fit over weight since the two are slightly different approaches. Now for all those who say fitness, do you have a smaller deficit in order to maintain lean muscle mass and do your workouts consist of weight training?
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    From April to October, I had a 200-250 calorie deficit. From October on, I've been at maintenance. Aiming for at least 100g of protein since June. Strength training with heavy(ish) weights since July.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    I am actually surprised by the amount of people who care about being fit over weight since the two are slightly different approaches. Now for all those who say fitness, do you have a smaller deficit in order to maintain lean muscle mass and do your workouts consist of weight training?

    Yes, I have my calories set at maintainence level and aim for about 250 a day in exercise to lose half a pound... I seem to be losing in pound increments right now though :huh: I am guessing it is because I started using the LiveFit program by Jamie Eason at the new year. After March I will be doing the New Rules and plan on readjusting my calories with that program.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I am actually surprised by the amount of people who care about being fit over weight since the two are slightly different approaches. Now for all those who say fitness, do you have a smaller deficit in order to maintain lean muscle mass and do your workouts consist of weight training?

    yup, I am starting a cut cycle next week where I will have a 300 cal deficit 5 days/week and eat maintenance for the other 2, aiming for a loss of 0.3 to 0.4 lbs/week over the course of 3-4 months (4-5 total lb loss goal)
  • pingash
    pingash Posts: 12
    Fitness for me. Although it can be frustrating to not see the scale drop even though you are putting in the hours with exercise and diet.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I am actually surprised by the amount of people who care about being fit over weight since the two are slightly different approaches. Now for all those who say fitness, do you have a smaller deficit in order to maintain lean muscle mass and do your workouts consist of weight training?

    Have a smaller deficit than what? I include some weight training, but more strength training without weights (I don't have a lot of weights or a gym membership) as well as plenty of aerobics and calesthenics. I've stopped counting calories every day because it was just too much so I don't always know my deficit.
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