Can you be fat & fit?
Discussion
jonah35 said:
throt said:
You can still have good stamina at the same time as being over weight. Over weight and "fit", thats a different story. imo.
Agree.A big bloke may be able to jog far but his heart and joints won't like it.
I guess I'm thinking RM/SAS yomp or whatever they're known as or equivalent (so half Ironman kind of thing), day after day, with no ill effects or physical change, come rain, monsoon or shine.
My own computer says hello Bob Hope, let alone no, but there could be the odd freak out there, possibly?
Having just seen a pair of portly police officers, I think we can answer "yes".
The police only employ the best and brightest with rigorous fitness tests. And although these two officers looked like a pair of inflatable skittles waddling down the street, I am sure they were ready to spring into action.
The police only employ the best and brightest with rigorous fitness tests. And although these two officers looked like a pair of inflatable skittles waddling down the street, I am sure they were ready to spring into action.
I used to train with a bloke who was fat and fit.
He dropped from about 18st to 12.5, which as he wasn't tall still left him quite stocky, and with a fair bit of excess skin from his more indulgent days.
He ran a mile and a half in ~9:30, and could smash out nearly 100 pressups / sits in 2 mins, as well as being lethal when it came to sparring.
For balance, I've met a hell of a lot of fat people who claimed to be fit but weren't.
He dropped from about 18st to 12.5, which as he wasn't tall still left him quite stocky, and with a fair bit of excess skin from his more indulgent days.
He ran a mile and a half in ~9:30, and could smash out nearly 100 pressups / sits in 2 mins, as well as being lethal when it came to sparring.
For balance, I've met a hell of a lot of fat people who claimed to be fit but weren't.
shouldbworking said:
I used to train with a bloke who was fat and fit.
He dropped from about 18st to 12.5, which as he wasn't tall still left him quite stocky, and with a fair bit of excess skin from his more indulgent days.
He ran a mile and a half in ~9:30, and could smash out nearly 100 pressups / sits in 2 mins, as well as being lethal when it came to sparring.
For balance, I've met a hell of a lot of fat people who claimed to be fit but weren't.
That's was fat but sort of short-term fit though, rather than was lard, still lard etc.He dropped from about 18st to 12.5, which as he wasn't tall still left him quite stocky, and with a fair bit of excess skin from his more indulgent days.
He ran a mile and a half in ~9:30, and could smash out nearly 100 pressups / sits in 2 mins, as well as being lethal when it came to sparring.
For balance, I've met a hell of a lot of fat people who claimed to be fit but weren't.
I know a short bloke who is pretty round and has done a 50+ mile bike ride recently - could he do it 7 days a week over a period of months, plus not look any different, doubt it very much.
I guess I sound like I'm determined not to be convinced, but not quite the case. Just that I'm aware of someone who is apparently lots of all wobble claiming to do rather a lot of exercise (like 70-80 or more miles a day on a bike kind of levels, or, calorie wise, around a marathon a day) with no weight loss, ill effects or anything else.
Having been a fatso, don't buy it at all, even allowing for my less than wonderful inherent ability on this front.
Unless a genetic freak, every angle that comes to mind says no way.
After a time where most of my exercise was the 6oz curl I am overweight, if not obese. 5'11" and over 14 stone. I recenlty took up cycling fairly casually at weekends and was amazed that second time out I could quite easily cover 50km in tropical heat. No lycra, and a fairly hefty metal framed mountain bike.
Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
I suppose the definitions of "fat" and "fit" are a bit subjective, but I am pretty happy with that. Give it another few months and I will be clad in dayglo lycra and heaping scorn on anyone with an ounce of excess body fat, but for now I think I am both fat and reasonably fit.
Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
I suppose the definitions of "fat" and "fit" are a bit subjective, but I am pretty happy with that. Give it another few months and I will be clad in dayglo lycra and heaping scorn on anyone with an ounce of excess body fat, but for now I think I am both fat and reasonably fit.
AJS- said:
After a time where most of my exercise was the 6oz curl I am overweight, if not obese. 5'11" and over 14 stone. I recenlty took up cycling fairly casually at weekends and was amazed that second time out I could quite easily cover 50km in tropical heat. No lycra, and a fairly hefty metal framed mountain bike.
Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
I suppose the definitions of "fat" and "fit" are a bit subjective, but I am pretty happy with that. Give it another few months and I will be clad in dayglo lycra and heaping scorn on anyone with an ounce of excess body fat, but for now I think I am both fat and reasonably fit.
Who said you were overweight? I'm only 5'7 and had visible abs at 12.5 stone.Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
I suppose the definitions of "fat" and "fit" are a bit subjective, but I am pretty happy with that. Give it another few months and I will be clad in dayglo lycra and heaping scorn on anyone with an ounce of excess body fat, but for now I think I am both fat and reasonably fit.
Terminator X said:
I get overtaken by loads of "larger" people when I do 10k runs, bloody annoying quite frankly 
TX.
It seems like a lot of this is about development of certain muscle groups. I got absolutely anihilated in a running race once by 20 stone of American. He was fat as all hell aged 30 but had been a competitive runner in his teens and never lost the muscles. Even with the extra weight he was much quicker than me.TX.
AJS- said:
It seems like a lot of this is about development of certain muscle groups. I got absolutely anihilated in a running race once by 20 stone of American. He was fat as all hell aged 30 but had been a competitive runner in his teens and never lost the muscles. Even with the extra weight he was much quicker than me.
Never underestimate the power of bloody mindedness especially in those with some thing to prove. They best way to really measure cardio vascular fitness is recovery time from fully loaded exercise.AJS- said:
After a time where most of my exercise was the 6oz curl I am overweight, if not obese. 5'11" and over 14 stone. I recenlty took up cycling fairly casually at weekends and was amazed that second time out I could quite easily cover 50km in tropical heat. No lycra, and a fairly hefty metal framed mountain bike.
Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
I'm not sure that being able to ride 50k on the efficient device that is the bicycle is the benchmark of "fit".Started doing more regular exercise too and surprised myself at how relatively fit I was.
Good on you for getting back into it, though.
Oh I'm not going to be winning any olympic medals, but I'm still pretty chuffed at doing that without having really cycled for years.
The thing is being overweight and inactive can make it feel like you couldn't cycle to the end of the road. I was pleasantly surprised to find that can I do a lot more than I thought, and this in turn is spurring me on to do more.
How long it lasts remains to be seen, however!
The thing is being overweight and inactive can make it feel like you couldn't cycle to the end of the road. I was pleasantly surprised to find that can I do a lot more than I thought, and this in turn is spurring me on to do more.
How long it lasts remains to be seen, however!
AJS- said:
Oh I'm not going to be winning any olympic medals, but I'm still pretty chuffed at doing that without having really cycled for years.
The thing is being overweight and inactive can make it feel like you couldn't cycle to the end of the road. I was pleasantly surprised to find that can I do a lot more than I thought, and this in turn is spurring me on to do more.
How long it lasts remains to be seen, however!
Fair do's. I'm fortunate never to have been that bad, even if there have been times when I've been prevented from exercising and weight has crept up a bit -arrival of children being the biggest thing. I'm currently managing to maintain a reasonable level of activity by fitting it around other responsibilities.The thing is being overweight and inactive can make it feel like you couldn't cycle to the end of the road. I was pleasantly surprised to find that can I do a lot more than I thought, and this in turn is spurring me on to do more.
How long it lasts remains to be seen, however!
Keep it up!
Sorry if this has already been said, haven't read the thread all the way through.
The short answer here is that yes you can indeed be overweight (within limits) and fit enough to compete in endurance style events. As long as you put the training in, your fitness will improve, but you will clearly be significantly slower at the given discipline.
I regularly see larger guys comfortably completing 100 mile + bike rides and I myself ran a marathon a few years ago weighing 17 stone (I'm significantly smaller now!). In the same year I ran the Great South Run (10 miles) in a faster time than two of my thinner but under-trained colleagues.
However, an interesting study I've read suggests that your VO2 max (aerobic capacity) will be increase as you lose both muscle and fat mass. So if two people had identical genetics and training regimes but different body weights, the thinner guy would be "fitter", as well as faster. This was my understanding of the study anyway.
Regardless, losing weight will likely significantly improve your health and definitely make you a better athlete (Unless you are short distance/sprinting specialist).
The short answer here is that yes you can indeed be overweight (within limits) and fit enough to compete in endurance style events. As long as you put the training in, your fitness will improve, but you will clearly be significantly slower at the given discipline.
I regularly see larger guys comfortably completing 100 mile + bike rides and I myself ran a marathon a few years ago weighing 17 stone (I'm significantly smaller now!). In the same year I ran the Great South Run (10 miles) in a faster time than two of my thinner but under-trained colleagues.
However, an interesting study I've read suggests that your VO2 max (aerobic capacity) will be increase as you lose both muscle and fat mass. So if two people had identical genetics and training regimes but different body weights, the thinner guy would be "fitter", as well as faster. This was my understanding of the study anyway.
Regardless, losing weight will likely significantly improve your health and definitely make you a better athlete (Unless you are short distance/sprinting specialist).
I would say yes, Im 17st 6ft3 and play football regularly for 90 mins 3 times a week. Still as fit as anyone on the pitch, from skinny to medium size. Having said that I have played sports regularly (4 times a week) since the age of about 11. Im sure that helps in parts (even when the cheeky pints don't!)
RikonLondon said:
I would say yes, Im 17st 6ft3 and play football regularly for 90 mins 3 times a week. Still as fit as anyone on the pitch, from skinny to medium size. Having said that I have played sports regularly (4 times a week) since the age of about 11. Im sure that helps in parts (even when the cheeky pints don't!)
I don't see your point to be honest, You would be significantly fitter and perform better if you were 2 stone lighter wouldn't you?Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff