Bhubaneswar: People often assume that physical fitness equals good health. I do not mean to disappoint but the reality is far from this because physique is just a part of your overall health.
Fitness can be defined as the ability to perform a certain exercise with efficiency, for example, running a few sets, whereas health is defined as the state of complete mental, physical, social well-being when you are free from all sorts of diseases. It seems oxymoronic but even elite athletes who push their limits of extreme physical activity can be unhealthy.
A pleasing physique and super strength is considered an apex of health but a healthy body has all body functions (immune, digestive, nervous, circulatory system) in consonance. Here are five reasons you are fit but still not healthy!
1) You are under stress.
When you put your body through extreme stress and do not provide it enough rest, the body starts the “stress response mechanism” in which the brain signals the adrenal glands to release the stress hormone i.e., cortisol. These stress hormones are not good for your body and they only lower your testosterone hormones level and you feel more stressed.
2) You are not sleeping enough
If you are a working professional or a student, you are for sure sleep deprived. Your body demands a good long sleep and you aren’t providing it that, hence the body starts to adjust and makes you dizzy and mostly lazy to complete its quota of rest. If you are someone who trains hard in the gym and wants to build muscles, then improper sleep is a big no. Our body repairs and replenishes while we sleep and that’s when our muscle tissues repair and build up.
3) You are over-training your body
When you lift heavy weights, your body muscle tissues tear and while you are resting with proper nutrition and sleep they grow bigger. But if you over train, your body doesn’t have enough time to heal the muscles before you go and do it all over again. This is overtraining! This can lead to chronic fatigue, sore joints and muscles, lack of appetite or insomnia.
4) Fitness is a goal for you
Fitness is not a target or a goal. It’s a lifestyle and is about maintenance. Usually people are keen on taking up a New Year resolution and rushing hard towards it with the best exercises and a diet plan and post the reached goal on social media. After that, it all goes in vain. Sometimes going slow is the fastest way to attain your desired goals.
The no-pain-no-gain attitude to health and fitness will do more bad to your body than good. It is important to challenge oneself and stay slightly out of the comfort zone, but one also needs to understand that growth also includes appropriate diet and adequate rest. If spoken technically, growth = stress (on workout) + rest (peak performance).
So, head on towards a healthy life with proper diet, clear mind and positive attitude!
(The author is a nutrition science student)
