What is the Difference Between Being Healthy and Fit?

by Usman Raza 

There is a common notion that being fit and healthy is one and the same thing, this is not always the case. There is a distinction between these two.

A fit person whose frame is toned or muscular may not necessarily be healthy.  On the other hand, a healthy person can be skinny, fit or muscular.

What Makes Being Fit Different From Being Healthy

From a physical standpoint, a muscular person who is physically fit will always look healthy.  Being fit is more of an aesthetic look.  On the contrary, being healthy talks about the state of one’s body internally.  It is the condition of a body that has no disease and indicates good health.

So what are the differences between these two?

Being Fit – is the ability to perform physical tasks and achieve a certain form of the body (toned, well-defined, muscular).

There are also certain aspects an individual achieves through physical activities over the course of time. These are the physical components a body achieves when it is fit:

Power

This is the ability to employ maximum strength in a short time possible (throwing, jumping, and accelerating). Power is proportion to the speed where maximal force is applied.

Endurance

It talks about cardio-respiratory and cardiovascular. It is the body’s ability to deliver and use the oxygen in the entire system of the body.

Flexibility

It is the ability to increase the extent of motion of the body’s joint or the ability of the joint to freely move. It can also be the mobility of muscles that allows prior movements at the joints.

Balance

The capability of controlling the center of a body’s gravity in relation to the support base. Staying in control of body movements.

Strength

The aptitude of the muscle to apply force. It is a maximum force that can be applied against a load.

Agility

It is the capacity of minimizing the time to move and change the position and direction quickly and efficiently under control. It needs coordination, speed, balance, correct response and quick reflexes to be able to move together with the changing situation.

Coordination

The aptitude to mix movement patterns in a one distinctive movement. It is capability to control limb movements.

Stamina

This is muscular endurance where the body has the ability to process, use and store energy.

Accuracy

Ability in controlling movement in a given intensity and/or direction.

Speed

Body’s competence to minimize the time it takes in accomplishing and finishing a movement and/or task.

These are the indications of a fit body which can be obtained through workouts and strenuous physical activities such as lifting weights, running, boxing, etc. Since being fit involves physical activities

Being Healthy – this is pertaining more to the status of an individual’s body system. It reflects a person’s lifestyle, nourishment, sleeping habits and activities that is inclined to support in health. it involves:

Physical Activities

Staying active, but not necessarily building muscles.  The human body is created for physical activities where it is but normal for it to move.  Being active will result in:

• Self esteem
• Increased energy
• Weight control
• Healthy weight
• Improved fitness
• Develops good mood
• Stronger immune system

Physical activities does not equate to daily strenuous workouts for hours. It only requires 30 minutes to an hour of exercise, 4 days in a week

Healthy lifestyle

It is a daily decision of choosing what will benefit and impact an individual’s state of health whether it is physical, mental (psychological) or emotional. It does not talk about diet in food it is an intentional change in eating nutritious food, sleeping well and stress free emotions. It is a life free from vices that can be detrimental to a person’s health.

Healthy lifestyle promotes a holistic approach of healthy living both inside and outside the body.

Healthy eating

Well balanced meals and clean eating. Removing unnecessary junk from an individual’s diet. There are reasons why chips, fast food, cookies, candies are called junk foods – these are processed and unreal food. These kinds of food do not give nutritional value in any way to the body. On the other hand, it destroys the structure of cells due to unnatural or foreign things that manufacturers include in these fake foods.

By eating real food, people do not realize that it lowers the risk of getting different kinds of diseases. Healthy eating protects the body from developing different diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and even cancer.

Healthy eating includes good amount of nutrients in the food and nutritious food such as:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Organic lean meat products
• Water (at least 3 litres a day)
• Brewed coffee and tea
• High in fiber foods

Keeping away your body from junk foods rich in preservatives, sugars, high sodium, food colors, additives and other substances that are hiding behind the terms “fortified: or “enriched” are usually unsafe. If your body is craving for chips or sugary drinks or food, there are always an alternative that is healthier. All you need to do is to search the internet for ingredients and recipes to be able to eat the food you are craving for.

As what was discussed, there is a big difference between being healthy and fit. Being fit usually is more of aesthetics, while being healthy is more of a choice both inside and outside the body.

A person can be fit but inside, illnesses or diseases are creeping in the system. However, a fit person can also be a healthy individual considering that this person’s lifestyle promotes healthy living.

On the contrary, a healthy person may not be physically fit but can be as sturdy and healthy as a tree. It is all because of choosing to do what is best for the body’s system to function properly and disease free.

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Usman Raza is a freelance writer, marketing specialist at keevaorganics.com and co-founder of UsmanDigitalMedia.com. When not working, he’s probably spending time with his family. Follow him on Facebook @usmanraza40 and Twitter @usmanintrotech.

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