This is a very interesting question and causes a lot of debate among health care professionals and fitness experts. After all, there are people who are obese and yet engage in sports actively on a daily basis. They are fat because they consume more calories than they burn off.
So, it is possible to be fat and still relatively fit. I use the term relative because we must look at fitness from a broader perspective. It’s not about how fast you run, how much weight you can lift or the amount of stamina that you have.
Fat and Fit vs. Slim and Unfit
Fitness encompasses all of the above but it also includes the general state of your health. When you factor this in, even slim people may be considered unfit and unhealthy.
Obesity has been linked to many diseases from hypertension to diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc. However, automatically assuming that becoming obese means you will get these problems is not really correct. There are many other factors to consider.
Young Fat and Fit People
Age is one. Younger people often tend to escape these problems even if they are obese. It’s older people who are more prone to obesity linked diseases. So, a young obese man could be fitter than a slim but older man.
Then we have genetics which is never fair. Some people are much more prone to health problems due to poorer genetics. There are many obese people with normal blood glucose and blood lipid levels. They just have good genes.
Other Factors of Being Fat and Fit
There are many other factors such as smoking, diet habits, stress levels, sleep habits, drinking, drug use, etc. that may cause health problems. So, an obese man who smokes and drinks frequently will be less fit than another obese man who maintains a healthier lifestyle.
In the end, it’s really all relative.
If you eat right and exercise often, you will be healthy. Eating right in this case means eating healthy. Of course, even if you eat healthy but exceed your daily calorie requirements, you will still gain weight. You will be fit but fat to a reasonable point.
The best way to live life happy and healthy is to slowly shed the excess pounds and reach the ideal weight for your height. As you age, your body’s systems will deteriorate and any excess fat that may not pose a problem now will start causing problems later.
Prevention is better than cure so it’d be ideal to lose the excess weight now because now is as easy as it’s going to get for most of us.
If you are involved in exercise actively but still overweight, then the problem lies with your diet and just with a few tweaks, you can attain your desired weight.
It will even be easier for you since you already have the habit of an exercise routine worked out. Those people who are obese and do not exercise regularly will have a much tougher time since they’ll have to inculcate 2 new habits – exercising regularly and eating properly.
There is no doubt that fat people can be fitter than slim people who lead sedentary lives. However, why carry more weight than you need to in any case?
Lose it. You will look better and feel better. You will be lean and fit. Now that’s a goal anybody can strive for and feel happy about when they accomplish it. For some great weight loss and fitness tips, check out the weight loss section and subscribe to our My Fitness Nut Newsletter at the top of the page.