Fat, Fit, Or Both: Digging Into The Reality Underneath!

Overweight people are considered unhealthy at sight – and while this might be true in most cases, it is not a law. Fat people can be fit and the two do not have to contradict each other, if the right criteria is met. But, if you are overweight, how do you know what is what? Do you start feeling bad about yourself, or are you being a little too harsh?

Well, with the right kind of guidance you can decode the perfect balance and that is exactly what this blog looks to achieve. So let’s find out the places where you can be a little lenient and where you need to draw the line, when it comes to fat fitness –

How do you know where you stand?

According to digestive health specialists, using the body mass index formula is a good determinant of whether you are fat or not. It is calculated by dividing an individual’s weight (kgs) by their height square. There are different slabs and the different statuses they represent –

• 18 – 25: If your BMI is within this bracket, then you are of normal weight and generally considered healthy.
• 25 – 30: People who fall in this BMI bracket are considered overweight and need to check it before they travel into the next zone – which is considered medically dangerous.
• 30 and above: People who have a BMI over 30 are considered obese and run the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, hormonal imbalances, and cardiac ailments.

However, researchers have not given any absolute authority to this system. Body Mass Index can often be very misleading – especially if a person is very muscular, of old age, or short in stature. In fact, to get rid of this error, doctors say that even a person with a BMI of over 30 can be considered fit if they have a waist width of less than 35 in women and 40 in men.

The limitations of body mass index however is can be surpassed today. With the advancement of technology, a new fitness calculation has gained solid ground – body fat percentage. It can be calculated to a decent accurate estimation using physical methods like calipers or tech methods like the dexa scan.

One of the main reasons why the body fat percentage is better than the body mass index is because it targets the calculation of fat in a body. This makes sense, because in reality the weight of muscle is greater than that of fat. A 70 kg male who is muscular is going to look way leaner than a 70 kg male of the same height, who is fat.

With the use of body fat percentage, doctors can accurately say whether you are fit or treading a dangerous and unhealthy path.

But are numbers the only thing that matter?

Not really. According to research, death rate in fat people who exercise is much lower than slim people who do not workout. Ideally that makes exercise the key to fitness. Testimonials by many overweight people who live an active life, have a balanced nutrition, and exercise at least 3 times a week show that they are more than happy with their physical condition.

One of the main reasons for this is working out releases happy hormones, reduces chances of depression or the need to go for a GI endoscopy.

So, no matter where you are on the BMI scale, if you want to live a fit life, live an active life. There is no need to count the calories you are burning, if healthy is your only goal. Just plan a balanced and healthy nutrition regime and spend some time walking, running, or in the gym.

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