Health vs. Fitness
Read time: 3 minutes
When it comes to physical wellness, the terms "health" and "fitness" are often used interchangeably. However, while both concepts are related to the overall well-being of a person, they have different meanings.
When we’re talking about health, we might simply be referring to the absence of disease or illness. Or the state of being in good physical, mental, and emotional condition. The reality is, health is made up of six domains. In addition to the three we’ve mention, there is also environmental, relational, and existential. Health involves a variety of factors beyond proper nutrition, regular exercise, good sleep habits, and stress management. It’s creating an environment that allows you thrive, building supportive relationships (or removing unsupportive), and finding a sense of purpose in your life.
On the other hand, fitness refers to the ability of an individual to perform physical activities with vigor and ease. This, coupled with nutrition, is the bulk of the metric for physical health. It is a measure of one's physical capacity, including strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. Fitness is often assessed through various tests such as the mile run, push-ups, and rep-maxes of various lifts. Fitness will fluctuate as you transition through different phases of life, but it remains one of the easiest factors of health to take control of in your life.
While health and fitness are related, you’re beginning to see how they are not the same thing. A person can be generally healthy without being physically fit, and vice versa. For instance, someone who eats a balanced diet, gets enough sleep, has regular social interaction, and is in a career that fulfills them may be considered healthy, but not necessarily physically fit. On the other hand, an individual who is physically fit may not necessarily be healthy if they are sacrificing their relationships or mindlessly punching a clock just to get a paycheck.
Now, with that being said, those who are regularly working on their physical fitness may also be a in a positive mental and emotional state. For example, a person who engages in regular physical activity may experience improved mood and reduced anxiety levels. But they very well could be using physical fitness as a coping mechanism to avoid dealing with mental or emotional struggles.
It is important to note that both health and fitness are essential components of overall wellness. Achieving a balance between the two is key to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. However, since fitness is simply one building block to the entire structure that is health, it might be more beneficial in the long run to divert attention from physical fitness to get everything in line.
If health and fitness are important to you but you’re not sure where to start, set up a virtual 30-minute consultation and get some actionable tips to get started. Or, if you’re local to Bedford, IN, schedule your first personal session with me!
