Being fit has a cliche definition for most people. For them, it is a healthy weight, balanced diet, and rigorous exercising. The common notion of relating a healthy body weight with the concept of being fit defeats the entire concept of body fitness that is scientifically defined. Being fit has more to do with providing for one’s own well-being and life than maintaining body weight. The term, “survival for the fittest”, would have no meaning if fitness was linked with just having a healthy body weight. The idea of fitness is much more deep-rooted than anyone would care to spare a second thought.
The idea which was postulated by Charles Darwin was that the fittest being would survive. So being fit is not the one to prioritize but being the fittest should gain importance. Having the best possible body fitness automatically grants the best quality of life. Since, thankfully, human beings do not have to fight for their survival every day, the quality of life offered by a fit body can be enjoyed thoroughly.
Having a fit body does not mean being able to bench press in the gym, twice the weight of the body. Being able to fit into those tight jeans is not a criterion of being fit either. Fitness is a five-pronged matter. Each of these components must be paid attention to in order to achieve the ideal fit body.
1.Body Composition:
The human body is composed of blood, tissues, muscles, bones, and fat. Body composition evaluation is aimed at providing a definite number that can serve as a measurement of the fitness of any given human body.
The Body Mass Index, or BMI, as it is known, is a measure of body composition which takes into account all the components that constitute the body.
There is a common notion that having zero fat and a ripped body with shredded and toned muscles is the ideal image of fitness, in scientific terms, that is not exactly the case.
According to the theory of BMI, it is always good to have some amount of fat. However, this quantity should neither be too high or too low.
For men, the upper limits of body fat concentration are designated within 20-25% while the lower limits are bound within 3-5%.
For women, upper limits of fat concentration can go as high as 29-35% and lower limits should stay within 8-12%. Body fat can be regularly monitored through readily available medical equipment.
With the advancement of modern technology, smartwatches can do this job fairly accurately. People who are obsessed with their fitness often keep a track of their fat concentration using fitness bands and smartwatches.
2. Endurance of the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
If the nervous system is the think tank of the human body then the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are the workhorses of the human body.
The cardiovascular and respiratory system works in close collaboration. The respiratory system supplies oxygen to the blood flowing in the body while simultaneously removing carbon dioxide from it.
The blood is an integral part of the cardiovascular system. This system is responsible for supplying oxygen to every cell in the body, including the brain cells. Oxygen is required for the proper functioning of every cell and a lack of it could result in cell atrophy, and thereby, death of the human being.
A fit body means that the cardiovascular system can sustain an elevated heart and pulse rate for a long period, whenever required.
The respiratory system also benefits from the fitness of the body by having a larger than usual capacity of lung expansion, thereby being able to store excess oxygen.
A fit set of lungs can also make it easier to breathe in environments that have a scarce amount of oxygen, like hill stations. These levels can be achieved by exercising regularly. Walking, jogging, swimming, riding a bicycle, running, and hiking are excellent examples of exercises that can positively affect the heart and lung capacities.
3. Endurance of Muscles and Ligaments:
Muscle fatigue is a common issue that is faced by a majority of people who do not work out regularly.
The build-up of lactic acid, resulting in painful cramps is also another example of what happens when there is a lack of regular physical activity and workouts.
Endurance exercises are aimed towards improving the tenacity of muscles so that they do not give up and start getting fatigued easily. Muscle exhaustion is real and can lead to paralysis.
As we grow old, muscles tend to lose their flexibility. Muscle growth gradually stops and old age catches up quite fast. Exercising is the only way to maintain the level of flexibility that will allow muscles to work beyond fatigue and exhaustion. This does not explicitly mean having to lift weights.
While lifting weight is a quick and popular way to building tenacious muscles, freehand exercises are the best and most reliable method to work on them.
Freehand exercises take more time and dedication but they ensure that the muscles built through such workout regimes, stay that way for a good amount of time.
4. Strength of Muscles:
Endurance and strength are two completely different things. Endurance stands for the duration of time the muscles can work non-stop without facing exhaustion and fatigue.
On the other hand, strength identifies the maximum amount of force that muscles can exert while doing a strenuous job. For having a fit body, muscles that can only endure cannot ensure the survival and well-being of a person. For that, one needs to have strength along with endurance, both at the same time.
This means having to work out against resistance. Next time you take the lift or choose to hop on to a rickshaw, think twice. Take the stairs.
Walk the distance and give your muscles the chance to build up strength by doing regular everyday activities. Lifting weights is a much more effective strategy for building up strength in the muscles compared to building up endurance.
5.Fitness of the Mind:
while talking about the fitness of the body, the physical fitness of the body should not be the
only thing that has to be taken into consideration.The fitness of the mind is of utmost importance.
With stress, tension, and unnecessary worries taking center stage in the fast-paced modern life of humans, a lot
of complications have come up. Anxiety, depression, and hypertension have taken a toll on the well-being of countless people.
Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a major problem that stems directly from mental unhealthiness most of the time. Suicide rates have gone up and it is just a taste of what can happen if mental health is
not taken care of. Meditation and yoga is a good way to keep mental imbalances in check. Talking to an
expert on mental health is also a good idea to resort to if things start going out of hand.
Conclusion
To be completely fit, all of these five concepts have to be realized to their full potential. Body fitness can be a great asset. It can prevent a bunch of complex ailments like dementia, osteoporosis, and even cancer. All-around well-being is what it means to have a fit body.
Moreover, If you stay in Kolkata then visit the best fitness centre in Kolkata,.Here you will get the list of all the gyms in Kolkata which are of the best quality.
Also, Read
5 Simple Fitness Tips for a Better Lifestyle
