Overweight, but fit? Can anyone explain??

[MRSchultz]

I am 5'6" and weigh 179 pounds, that's about 30-35 pounds overweight, right? Yet, I just finished IMAX 2 and hardly had to make any modifications at all. I can run 3.5 miles at a 9-10 minute mile pace and be fine. I mean, these are tough workouts don't get me wrong, but does that mean I have a strong heart? Just carrying extra fat?

Does this make any sense to anybody :7

I guess, my question is, how can I be 35 pounds overweight and still do some pretty tough workouts? Then, is there something that would aid in my weight loss efforts more than other things?

Thanks in advance.
~Marcia~

 

[FiddleFit]

Hi Marcia,

I'm a big believer that being above-average weight does not always equate with being unfit! I'm not an expert in physiology, but I did exercise my way down 72 pounds. What I found was that with consistent sessions of workouts, I was able to build up stamina to do advanced workouts, while still having extra weight on me. But as my weight finally got down to what is considered "healthy" for my height, the exercise got even easier to do ('cause I wasn't having to heft around all that extra weight at the same time!). I guess what I'm saying is: yes, you're probably quite fit. You've trained your body (and your heart) to work at it's current level, with the extra 30 pounds, and our bodies are great at adapting to circumstances.

Cheers,
Sandra

 

[finsgirl]

Yes, this makes a lot of sense. I tell my daughters that just because someone is thin, it doesn't mean that they are fit. I would rather be overweight and fit than skinny and wimpy.

My girlfriend calls herself the fittest fat person she knows! She's a little overweight but VERY well-endowed (see picture in my picture trail) and very tall. But she stays VERY active....bikes, walks, rollerblades, tae kwon do. Sometimes when she's on a roll, she can give me a run for my money!!

Angie

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Marcia! A couple of things to keep in mind:

1: The term "overweight" is quite ephemeral. When one talks about scale weight, no distinction is made in terms of the composition of the weight, i.e. fat-free mass (muscle, bone, internal organs, blood, etc.) and fat mass, including essential fat and storage fat. It's often said but too often ignored that people who are more heavily muscled can in fact weigh more, but because the "weight" is muscle it's not a health problem. The traditional height-weight tables, AND the now done-to-death Body Mass Index, which is simply a variant of the height-weight tables, are to me next to meaningless because they don't contemplate that difference between fat-free mass and fat mass.

2: Body composition is but one of five recognized facets of fitness. There are cardiovascular/pulmonary fitness, muscle strength fitness, muscle endurance fitness and flexibility fitness. Body composition - i.e. a healthy proportion of fat-free mass in relation to total body weight, and conversely an unhealthy proportion of storage fat in relation to total body weight - can be in the "unhealthy" or "unhealthier" ranges but if all other factors are in the healthy ranges (i.e. you can work hard and effectively at cardio, strength work, endurance work and flexibility) you can indeed be more fit.

My suggestion is: scr*w the scale. You rock. If you're concerned about your overall body composition, get a body composition analysis done (these can cost a few sous) and determine what your fat mass proportion is and see if that needs to be addressed. If you're working out like the bandit that you are and you're eating healthy foods in healthy amounts you're fine.

A-Jock

 

[dpiglet]

Marcia...just listen to A-Jock. A good example: Spinnervals, "Enter the Red Zone...there is a participant who most would say is overweight, but man can she spin...puts me to shame as I am in the Red Zone indeed...in the face. She is an endurance cycler....more fit than any of those skinny chicks. I would much rather be made of more substance and fit than skin and bones. Just my thoughts...and definitely chuck that scale. Take Care, Donna.