200 pound fitness instructor ...

How about my mom is overweight and she is almost 50 and she had a full physical at the Dr's and they told her all of her labs were perfect. She is active all day everyday working in management in a retail store and she doesn't eat junk. I still don't understand why she is overweight at all.

How about I am overweight and just got blood work done and I have perfect scores too. Cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure everything.

How about in contrast to that my 6ft tall only a couple of pounds over normal range husband has high blood pressure and possible cholesterol problems if he doesn't watch it according to his physical in Dec. Oh and he isn't even inactive he lifts 50-100lbs over and over for 9-16hrs per day outside on his feet.

How about all of the "skinny" people that have health problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol and stuff and probably couldn't run for 1 min without stopping.

***ETA Basically my point is just because someone has low mass for their frame and is skinny doesn't mean they are healthy.

Anecdotes aren't scientific evidence. There will ALWAYS be exceptions, however for the general population, the science is consistent.
I'm sure you've heard of very FIT runners who die suddenly. Or smokers who smoked their whole lives and died from old age and not lung cancer. But again, these aren't NORMAL situations to consider and apply to the general population.


A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

That's great, but the number way you can reduce health related issues is to LOWER your weight in proportion to your frame.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Actually much more evidence says, if you are eating right and exercising, weight isn't important. (obviously extreme obesity is not great, but there is a huge amount of leeway here.) People who are overweight and active have the same level of risk of chronic disease as people who are smaller and active.

Like to see the study that actually supports it. Please link it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This one shows that obese people with "minor" issues live as long as thinner people: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/16/obesity-healthy-early-death_n_927579.html

Article states also in that sentence that these obese ate healthier and exercised compared to their thinner counterparts. That's not the same as if they were both eating healthy and exercising which you stated have the SAME level of risk if they are BOTH doing the same regimen.

This one shows no increase in death risk for overweight people (if you don't have chronic disorders)
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=20854

While risk of death is inconsequential, again this article doesn't address the statement you made above.

From article: "In addition to diabetes and hypertension, health problems associated with overweight and obesity include heart disease, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.

"Our findings indicate that the risk of having an above-normal BMI may be lower than in the past," said Prof Jerant. "While this study cannot explain the reasons, it is possible that as overweight and obesity have become more common, physicians have become more aware of associated health issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and are more aggressive about early detection and treatment of these conditions."

Here is a quote from this article about the "fat and fit" idea:
"If we look at individuals who are obese and just moderately fit – we're not talking about marathon runners here – their death rate during the next decade is half that of the normal weight people who are unfit. So it's a huge effect."
Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/09/fit-fat-unfit-thin

Still didn't address above statement.

So obesity isn't the biggest problem, getting diabetes and high blood pressure is. If you don't have those, and you exercise, longevity outcomes are very good. And better than someone who is thin and does nothing.

I saw an interesting chart a few months ago about death risk (don't remember were). It was very interesting, the lineup of the death risk (with percentages) was something like:
Fit and healthy weight
fit and slightly overweight
fit and underweight
.........
underweight and not fit
obese and not fit

The statement I questioned was about overweight and active people having the SAME RISK as those who are smaller and active.
None of the above articles or studies confirmed that, and I doubt you'll find one that does. Any cardiologist, weight specialist, bariatric surgeon, general doctor, NIH, CDC, etc. will all agree that an overweight person will be more at risk for chronic disease than their smaller counterpart even if they both ate well and exercised.

Now if you're talking an overweight person who is active and a thinner person who ISN'T active, and compared the risks, then I'd probably agree.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

To each his or her own, but I'd never hire a fat fitness instructor.
I see great value in people who have actually achieved peak fitness - not quit on themselves, then make it out like some virtue.
Again, just an opinion.
Good Luck :flowerforyou:

All respects Bobby, but did you watch that video? Just the first 30 seconds, the rest is interview stuff. That woman is a beast and hardly what I would call fat.

Yes, this is one of those topics where we will respectfully have a point of departure.
I suppose that's because I was very strong and very active when I was still very fat.
Some of us are like that.

BUT DID YOU WATCH THE VIDEO? She is strong, very muscular. I think she is amazing.

OP thanks for sharing. Very inspiring. And Bobby, if she is fat, I want to be fat like that.

Going to watch the vedio when I get home

That's great, but the number way you can reduce health related issues is to LOWER your weight in proportion to your frame.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Actually much more evidence says, if you are eating right and exercising, weight isn't important. (obviously extreme obesity is not great, but there is a huge amount of leeway here.) People who are overweight and active have the same level of risk of chronic disease as people who are smaller and active.

Like to see the study that actually supports it. Please link it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This one shows that obese people with "minor" issues live as long as thinner people: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/16/obesity-healthy-early-death_n_927579.html

Article states also in that sentence that these obese ate healthier and exercised compared to their thinner counterparts. That's not the same as if they were both eating healthy and exercising which you stated have the SAME level of risk if they are BOTH doing the same regimen.

This one shows no increase in death risk for overweight people (if you don't have chronic disorders)
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=20854

While risk of death is inconsequential, again this article doesn't address the statement you made above.

From article: "In addition to diabetes and hypertension, health problems associated with overweight and obesity include heart disease, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.

"Our findings indicate that the risk of having an above-normal BMI may be lower than in the past," said Prof Jerant. "While this study cannot explain the reasons, it is possible that as overweight and obesity have become more common, physicians have become more aware of associated health issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and are more aggressive about early detection and treatment of these conditions."

Here is a quote from this article about the "fat and fit" idea:
"If we look at individuals who are obese and just moderately fit – we're not talking about marathon runners here – their death rate during the next decade is half that of the normal weight people who are unfit. So it's a huge effect."
Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/09/fit-fat-unfit-thin

Still didn't address above statement.

So obesity isn't the biggest problem, getting diabetes and high blood pressure is. If you don't have those, and you exercise, longevity outcomes are very good. And better than someone who is thin and does nothing.

I saw an interesting chart a few months ago about death risk (don't remember were). It was very interesting, the lineup of the death risk (with percentages) was something like:
Fit and healthy weight
fit and slightly overweight
fit and underweight
.........
underweight and not fit
obese and not fit

The statement I questioned was about overweight and active people having the SAME RISK as those who are smaller and active.
None of the above articles or studies confirmed that, and I doubt you'll find one that does. Any cardiologist, weight specialist, bariatric surgeon, general doctor, NIH, CDC, etc. will all agree that an overweight person will be more at risk for chronic disease than their smaller counterpart even if they both ate well and exercised.

Now if you're talking an overweight person who is active and a thinner person who ISN'T active, and compared the risks, then I'd probably agree.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Unfortunately, this comparison chart that I saw somewhere isn't available. The difference was statistically negligible. (i.e. less than 5%) One day I'll see it again!

Facts based on studies designed to prove someones theories so that they can push their agenda and ideas. And did you really refer to a 300lb linemen with a gut hanging over their belt to a wide receiver who trains for speed and agility? Not sure I would consider most NFL linemen fit. I'm 6'5 245 lbs at 13 percent body fat, and according to the BMI calculators I am borderline obese. The most important thing this woman is doing is motivating people to start moving, I'd rather see that than trainers that discourage people by only focusing on numbers. Numbers matter to an extent, but the most important thing is to keep moving and work hard. The people that are at higher risk are those that give up on themselves because they look at some calculator and think they failed because the didn't some meet bogus number like BMI.

Facts based on medical journals pretty much all say the same thing about being overweight, so it's not pushing an agenda nor a theory. It's medical studies that have been repeated by several organizations. Don't know why you think it's an agenda.
The average NFL lineman runs between a 4.9-5.4 40yd dash. That's pretty fast even for an average human. Now combine that with pushing against someone equal in strength and size for at least 1.5 hours. Not fit? If it were that easy, then they wouldn't need conditioning training.
But look up the average lifespan of an NFL lineman compared to their lighter counterparts. Their weight is DIRECTLY related.
Just moving and working hard isn't the MOST important thing because there are many people who aren't overweight that don't have the health risks with very modest exercise regimens.
Numbers do matter when it comes to RISK. Whether you want to believe it or not is up to you. I've already stated she's amazing. So is Richard Simmons for getting heavy people to move.
And for the record, I don't look at BMI (since I'd be considered overweight too), but there is a weight limit that one shouldn't exceed to reduce risk.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition