A Weightloss and diet forum. WeightLossBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » WeightLossBanter forum » alt.support.diet newsgroups » General Discussion
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 14th, 2006, 03:57 AM posted to alt.support.diet
oregonchick
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 244
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"

I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.
Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


  #2  
Old September 14th, 2006, 05:44 AM posted to alt.support.diet
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 227
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"


oregonchick wrote:
I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.
Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


I agree with those medical ideal weight ranges which give men my height
a weight anywhere from 126 to 154. Those are based on longevity
statistics. I suppose if you have good genes, you can be overweight and
eat all the wrong things, too, but it isn't my case, so I go with my
gut feeling....no pun intended, which is to weigh at the lower part of
the medical health range. If you type in ideal weight, there's a pretty
good website that goes into the different "ideal" weight opinions:
medical and personal where you can type in your height, gender, and
weight and get 3 or 4 different opinions based on different criteria. I
would put my money on the medical one though which is also the lowest
weight, at least the lower range is the lowest. dkw

  #3  
Old September 14th, 2006, 08:53 AM posted to alt.support.diet
Ade
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 75
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"

oregonchick wrote:

I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.
Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


I'm still about 4 stone overweight yet I reckon I'm probably one of the
healthiest & fittest people I know (even if I am the fattest). A few
weeks ago, I played badminton with my slightly thing brother - he
wanted to rest after 20 minutes, I played solidly for 2 hours. None of
my friends could run more than half a mile if they tried and I'd
slaughter every one of them in a bike race - sprint or distance.

  #4  
Old September 14th, 2006, 11:56 AM posted to alt.support.diet
KR
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 36
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"

I guess she is "healthy" to a point, her heart and muscles are strong
enough for her to instruct the class but maybe she eats lots of junk
food and fat? Of course, she could have some medical condition or take
medication that makes her retain a lot of weight. I know my sister,
depsite being a hockey player, takes prednisone and she always looks a
bit chubby... On the rare occassion that they lower her dose she looks
slim in no time.

KR

oregonchick wrote:
I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.
Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


  #5  
Old September 14th, 2006, 04:57 PM posted to alt.support.diet
Bill Eitner
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 107
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"

I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.

To me, they are three different levels:

Health is the first level and determined through
medical testing.

Fit is the next level where ones mind/body is
capable of handling vigorous physical tasks/tests.

Athletic is the third level where one is capable
of actual physical competition.


Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.


I see it as a progression. An example could be
a couch potato who has just been told some things
by his/her doctor that were less than positive
but not immediately life threatening. The person
decides to employ diet and exercise. A year or
two later the person is given a clean bill of health
based on a physical examination, blood tests, etc.
That doesn't mean the person has a six-pack, can run
a mile in under 6 minutes, bench press their bodyweight,
do 10 chin-ups, etc. Passing fitness tests represents
another level. And finally, passing fitness tests does
not make one capable of successful athletic competition.

Of course the water begins to get muddy between fit
and athletic. It could be said that fit represents
generalized capability whereas athletic represents
a higher level--but one that is more specialized.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby.


Bringing appearance into the discussion represents
an area of judgment that's easily skewed by subjectivity
and generalization. The leaner person isn't always the
healthier, the more fit, or the more athletic.

But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"?


That can't be told via appearance. However, using
the system of levels above, her fitness to run the
class and her performance with the weights and moves
say that she's not only healthy but fit as well.

Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level.


When in doubt, another good measure is waist
to hip ratio. In that respect she may be okay.

But in every other way,
she seemed fit.


She was obviously fit enough to run the class.
She just didn't look like it at first.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy?


To me, that's determined by a thorough physical
examination with all the requisite tests. But
again, that doesn't mean one is physically/mentally
fit or athletic. There is overlap to consider
as well. For example, at some of the highest
levels of athletics, health is sometimes at least
temporarily sacrificed to some degree.

I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


I agree. I think there is a lot of crossover between
the components. Subjectivity often enters the picture
as well. Appearance can lead to incorrect assumption.
--
  #6  
Old September 14th, 2006, 07:35 PM posted to alt.support.diet
Doug Freyburger
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,866
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"

oregonchick wrote:

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.


This shows why BMI does not always work. Because guidelines
and principles and averages have exceptions.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


It still doesn't make guidelines and principles and averages have
no value. If you're very healthy but way off on some guideline
you'll know why. You'll know you're an exception to the rule.


It's also true that having plentifull and strong muscles does not
automatically mean having less fat. It *usually* means that, but
not always. The most muscular I ever remember being I didn't
drop all that much fat. I was doing weights without enough
cardio and without paying any heed at all you my food. The
leanest I ever remember being I didn't add all that much muscle.
I was using hour-long walks that included some stairs as my
main exercise so I didn't build any bulk. In both cases there was
a lot of room for improvement but I could join a pick up soccer
game so I was pretty healthy. The two aren't as closely linked
as guidelines would have us think.

  #7  
Old September 15th, 2006, 05:46 PM posted to alt.support.diet
Annie Benson Lennaman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 116
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"



oregonchick wrote:

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than anyone,
and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her bodyfat %
is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in every other way,
she seemed fit.


I would say that she is more fit than someone with a much lower body
fat % is who is thin yet inactive and with little physical strength or
stamina. I think that to a certain extent, our cultural notion of what
constitutes a "good" body type is base on an arbitrary notion of
aesthetics that has little to do with the realities of the physical
world.
--
Annie

As of 08-25-06: 258/185.5/140 Standing at 5 foot 4.

72.5 pounds lost. 45.5 left to go. Started February/07/05

Come visit my weight-loss web site, Annie Takes Off.
http://webpages.charter.net/lenny13/DietFrontPage.html
  #8  
Old September 16th, 2006, 12:30 AM posted to alt.support.diet
Nunya B.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 615
Default define "healthy" or "fit" or "athletic"


"oregonchick" wrote in message
. ..
I have a distinct picture in my mind of someone who fits these words.
Healthy/athletic bodyfat %, someone who can do alot of activities and keep
up with the pack, someone who eats healthy, etc.

I just recently started participating in my gym's cardio classes. Today I
did a Body Pump and was surprised to see the woman running the class was
more than a little chubby. But she was lifting heavier weights than
anyone, and she could bust a move. So, is she "healthy"? Obviously her
bodyfat % is probably much higher than the reccomended level. But in
every other way, she seemed fit.

So, it made me question, what is truly healthy? I'm guessing it's not a
single component (weight, bodyfat, etc). What do you think?


It's not a single component and it's not the same for everyone. That's what
I think. I know that some of the fitness class instructors at our gym are
not the stereotypical slim body type. The guy that runs the gym said he
thinks they're less intimidating to newer members.

Can some people be healthy at a higher BMI (overweight not obese)? Sure,
just as some are unhealthy at a "normal"
BMI. Same thing with fitness. As far as athletic goes it has multiple
meanings. Athletic can refer to a type of appearance or it can refer to an
actual athlete and the two can be mutually exclusive - like Sumo wrestlers

--
the volleyballchick


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 WeightLossBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.