Weight-Loss = Healthy?

CajunNino
CajunNino Posts: 269
in Health and Weight Loss
A friend, knowing my desire for a life change, posed a question for me: "Do you want to lose weight or do you want to do more?" "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, just because you look good at the beach doesn't mean you are able to run a 5K."

Then, it hit me, they are not one and the same. I thought if I dropped the weight I'd feel better and just take off to climbing stairs and running marathons. I'm going to have to WORK at this. Then she went on to say, "just because the runway model looks good in a bikini and the 300 lb football lineman looks like a fat slob does not mean the model is in better 'shape' " "No, no, I think she has a much better shape (wink wink)."

For me, I don't care about weight as much anymore. I just want to DO MORE. Play with my kids, take hikes, run 5Ks, bike....... be more active! Any thoughts on this subject?

Replies

  • Krazy_Kat
    Krazy_Kat Posts: 212
    I am totally with you. I don't understand why a number on a scale is an ultimate goal.
    I want to get fitter, lose a bit of circumference.
    Honestly it won't hurt me to lose some weight, and it's easier to lug around a lighter body, to exercise, I guess?
    I love hikes too!
  • dotti1121
    dotti1121 Posts: 751 Member
    AGREE!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I care about BOTH. There is certainly a point where skinny isn't as good as fit (like the model) but when you're obese (like me), that distinction is fairly irrelevant. Once I'm closer to a normal weight, fitness and muscle mass will become more important. But for now, weight is a great measure of health and fitness for me. Though I can run a 5K now ;-)
  • bceagleace
    bceagleace Posts: 22
    Interesting post. Here are my thoughts.

    In January, I weighed 220 lbs and I squeezed into size 40 dress pants. I have two young kids. I was tired all the time, and I was setting a bad example for them. I wanted to be more than healthy, I wanted to get ripped. I have NEVER been someone happy to take their shirt off at the beach... but I've changed on both fronts!

    I think you can have it all. My wife is a doctor, so i have a lot of second hand knowledge about how bad it is for you to carry around extra weight. Losing weight is great, but you have to be mobile! Even if you aren't running 5ks, being active is what you need.

    My own journey involved doing Power 90 and P90X... I've lost 41 lbs so far, I'm in the best shape of my life, and I look forward to yard work now so I can take my shirt off outside and show off a bit :) Workouts are important, but nutrition is the real key in my opinion. I plan to stay active and hopefully work out now in some form the rest of my life. However, I plan to ALWAYS eat better going forward!

    You can have the beach body look, and also be healthy
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
    This is one of those situations where you can have it all.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    This is one of those situations where you can have it all.

    Excellent point! Skinny AND fit. It should be all of our ultimate goals.
  • CajunNino
    CajunNino Posts: 269
    I care about BOTH. There is certainly a point where skinny isn't as good as fit (like the model) but when you're obese (like me), that distinction is fairly irrelevant. Once I'm closer to a normal weight, fitness and muscle mass will become more important. But for now, weight is a great measure of health and fitness for me. Though I can run a 5K now ;-)
    Agree. I'd love to look good with my shirt off, too, don't get me wrong. I think doing both is possible, but I certainly have never thought about this in this way before. I assumed if a person had a good body that they were fit. And yes, I do believe the big fat football player is fit.... he can push around 300 lb men up and down a football field while the runway model, whose diet consisted of 3 crackers and a diet coke, couldn't run up a flight of stairs.
    Thanks for your imput. :smile:
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    You're right - skinny does not equal healthy. You need fitness (through exercise) to be able to perform at the level you want.

    However, weight loss does equal healthy in some regards: lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, less chance of arthritis due to reduction in stress on the joints, increased energy level, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, etc.

    There are some people that only care about the health benefits listed above. And there are others who want a fit, active life. As others have said, the good news is that you can have it all. You just have to be willing to work for it!

    Good luck!
  • healthyamberB
    healthyamberB Posts: 47 Member
    At first I wanted to just be able to look good in clothes. But when I was at the track running, and could barely complete a lap, i realized, I didn't just wanna look good, I wanted to be able to run a mile without dying from lack of oxygen! And that is now my goal, the weight loss will be a bonus from that work!
  • CajunNino
    CajunNino Posts: 269
    Interesting post. Here are my thoughts.

    In January, I weighed 220 lbs and I squeezed into size 40 dress pants. I have two young kids. I was tired all the time, and I was setting a bad example for them. I wanted to be more than healthy, I wanted to get ripped. I have NEVER been someone happy to take their shirt off at the beach... but I've changed on both fronts!

    I think you can have it all. My wife is a doctor, so i have a lot of second hand knowledge about how bad it is for you to carry around extra weight. Losing weight is great, but you have to be mobile! Even if you aren't running 5ks, being active is what you need.

    My own journey involved doing Power 90 and P90X... I've lost 41 lbs so far, I'm in the best shape of my life, and I look forward to yard work now so I can take my shirt off outside and show off a bit :) Workouts are important, but nutrition is the real key in my opinion. I plan to stay active and hopefully work out now in some form the rest of my life. However, I plan to ALWAYS eat better going forward!

    You can have the beach body look, and also be healthy
    I'm all for this!
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
    I don't pay much attention to my weight any more. My grandkids broke my scale over a year ago. I just get weighed by my doctor now. I'm more active then I've ever been. I'm in better shape then I was in my 20's. Since I started exercising my blood pressure went down to 95/65 and my pulse is 48-54. My triglycerides dropped from 324 to 87. I feel great!

    I have a friend that just dieted. She hates exercise. She shriveled up and was still fat. She lost weight but just sat around and ended up looking like a fat smaller version of herself. Does that make sense? She's put all the weight back on and more.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I care about BOTH. There is certainly a point where skinny isn't as good as fit (like the model) but when you're obese (like me), that distinction is fairly irrelevant. Once I'm closer to a normal weight, fitness and muscle mass will become more important. But for now, weight is a great measure of health and fitness for me. Though I can run a 5K now ;-)

    I agree and can speak from the same point of view. When I was obese all I cared about was getting smaller. Now that I'm overweight and so much more fit, stronger, healthier and coincidently smaller, it has become about health and pushing myself to my physical limits. The weight loss is an excellent bonus. I still have little ways to go but I am in the best shape of my life which has done wonders for my confidence. I completed my first Warrior Dash this past weekend and it was amazing to see how far I've come. That's what it's about for me, the whole package!
  • kkstill
    kkstill Posts: 14
    I believe that the majority of us originally entering weight loss as just that weigh loss and than after starting realize the benefits of looking good and feeling good. If you watch alot of shows showing models most of the models that are selected/successful are both skinny and toned. The toned would only come from exercise. When I started it was to loss weight but than I realized that I was still tired all the time until I added a consistent exercise routine. I was 261 when started and am now 209. On here you wont see a weight loss due to just starting mfp 2 weeks ago and i am on a platuea. I find that the days I dont get exercise I am very sluggish that whole day.
  • CajunNino
    CajunNino Posts: 269
    Thanks for all the comments... it has confirmed for me that we can have both.
    One more thing.... I need 'myfitnesspal' friends for continued support. Any guys on the journey to better health? Please add me.

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