Fitness Vs Health, Are They The Same Thing?

Mar 19, 2019

2 min read

Updated: Aug 17, 2023

Last week I assessed one of my clients. He had lost 12 pounds in 2 months. He said that he recommends me to his group of friends. He enjoys our sessions, feels healthier, has more energy, is stronger, and — the most important reason he talks about CBF to his friends — he’s happier. When he refers me to his friends and shows them my website, some of them expect to see a picture of a bodybuilder.

body transformation before and after picture

He was telling me that he knows a couple of guys who are huge; they use drugs to increase muscle mass. Some other guys he knows use supplements. Since I advocate “natural fitness,” he assumes I don’t take any drugs or supplements.

While it is true that 6 years ago I used protein shakes and creatine...

I now know that these products don’t really help me perform any better or add value to my health. Also, they are likely to do more harm than good. In my experience, acne and lack of oxygen at night were only two side effects of these products, which is why I stopped taking them. When it comes to drugs everyone seems to have a different opinion about them. My opinion is that drugs simply don’t contribute to health even though they may increase muscle mass, endurance or some other facet of human performance.

Even though it sounds sad, many professionals nowadays don’t distinguish between fitness and health; but being fit does not mean being healthy. Someone taking drugs or using supplements may be able to run fast, have tremendous lean muscle mass or lift incredible weights and can be classified as fit. However, this person may not be healthy. Such a person may suffer or develop side effects such as sex impotency, osteoporosis, high blood pleasure, cancer and others.

However, fitness is a factor that contributes to health...

just like eating nutritious foods and controlling thoughts and emotions. But many people put their health in jeopardy to be fit.

Weight loss has also taken the same path. Many people have heard from their doctors that they need to lose weight because of their high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, knee problems, etc. Many look for the easy exit, taking pills, using hormone therapies, taking supplements or undergoing surgery.

Even though weight loss is the goal, the purpose can get lost while trying to attain the goal...

The purpose of weight loss is to be healthy. While some people are looking to lose weight for a better appearance (and there’s nothing wrong with losing weight to be physically attractive), they, also, miss the real purpose. Losing weight in an unhealthy manner won’t help an individual become more attractive.