The Thinnest Aren't Always The Fittest By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE

The Thinnest Aren't Always The Fittest

By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE

Most Americans measure their fitness by their fatness. Despite our obsession with thinness, fat-free foods and exercise equipment, researchers tell us that Americans are fatter than ever.

According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, 1/3 of adults are overweight, up from 25 percent just 15 years ago. On average, adults in the U.S. weigh about eight pounds more than they did 10 years ago. But can you be fat and fit?

There are five components to fitness: muscle strength, muscle endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Each component is inter-related and equally weighted for a balanced and health body.

Measuring Your Fitness:

Muscle strength is the greatest amount of force the muscles can generate in a single maximal effort. This should be assessed under the supervision of a certified exercise professional and will yield a percentile based on comparing your results to other women or men your age on a pound-for-pound basis. It is good to use as a baseline to evaluate your improvements over time with regular strength training. A separate test should be done for both the upper and lower body. Standard protocols are to use the bench press and squat. This is not advisable for beginners.
Muscle endurance is measured by how many times you can lift a sub-maximal load. Examples include performing push-ups or curl-ups for as many repetitions as possible in a minute. The average middle age woman can do between 13 and 19 push-ups and 20-25 curl-ups in a minute.
Cardiovascular endurance is measured by heart rate and blood pressure at rest and during exercise. Resting heart rates are best measured in the morning and average about 75 beats per minute, but can range from 40–100 beats in a minute. Average resting blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. Endurance-trained individuals generally have a lower resting heart rates and blood pressure. You can have a stress test performed under the supervision of a physician to directly measure your cardiovascular fitness. Sub-maximal biking, walking and stepping tests are also used to closely approximate cardio endurance.
Flexibility is the measure of your range of motion about a joint. This is one area where genetics plays a large role and has to do with the muscle and tendon ratio you were born with. That is not to say that flexibility cannot be improved, but some people are naturally more flexible than others. Inflexibility increases risk for joint and muscle injury. Each joint must be assessed individually with a specifically designed test. Sample tests include the sit-and-reach and the low-back extension. The average woman can reach an inch or two beyond her toes when seated with legs extended.
Body composition is evaluated in a number of ways including skin fold calipers, circumference measurements, bio-electrical impedance and underwater weighing. Body composition refers to the make up of your total body scale weight, which is divided into fat-free mass and fat weight. It's possible to have a high body mass index (BMI) and actually be healthier than someone who is thin but sedentary. A healthy woman’s body composition ranges from 25–31 percent. Below 25 percent are typically individuals with higher levels of fitness and above 31 percent is thought to be the cut off where risk of diseases increase.

The musclular and conditioned person with a high BMI will have a lower health risk than the overly fat individual with the same BMI. Research consistently shows that you can reduce health risk factors and build important muscle with regular exercise even if you don't lose weight.

Concentrating on building the good habits that lead to a healthy lifestyle can make you more fit than losing weight on the scale. Even minimal increases in activity can bolster calorie burning and improve your health. Remember, someone can lose weight on the scale, but not necessarily improve their fitness. A shortcoming of dieting in the absence of exercise is that when weight is lost, it's usually muscle as well as fat. As much as 25 percent of weight lost by dieting alone is lean body mass.

When dieting is combined with exercise, chances are greater you'll lose more fat and less muscle and keep the fat off. Physical activity, a good diet and not smoking are more important than the number on your bathroom scale. Thin people might be given a false sense of security thinking they don't need to exercise, or they can eat anything they want.

Just keeping an eye on the scale can be part of the health equation, but there is a lot more to it than that. Remember that your fitness, health and performance are so much more than just what the scale says. You can have the heart of a Marathoner, be stronger than an ox, more flexible than Gumby and have endurance to go all day and night. So if you have extra fat on you, but you are fit, you are much better off than being thin and unhealthy.

Regular fitness assessments provide information on your health and fitness status as well as information on your progress. You should have an assessment performed by a trained fitness professional every six months for inspiration and motivation.