Seems like a simple question right? You have visible body fat so you must be out of shape right? I mean it’s in the wording “shape”.

This is unfortunate because it means your health diagnoses is based almost solely on how you look. This is a mistake, how your body performs with regards to strength and stamina as well as range of motion is even more important.

At our Ottawa personal training studio we have administered personal training with countless people who look much less athletic than another client yet found their abilities and fitness significantly higher. In fact, we have seen as many serious health issues arise in thin formally athletic individuals as those who carry significant unneeded body fat.

It seems counterintuitive but strength comes first. You may be light and thin but your engines may also be weak and small. In the long run you are not well protected from disease and aging. On the other hand you may be unwontedly “chunky” but have plenty of muscle to protect your organs and skeletal structure.

It is high time that the medical community get on board and encourage people not to judge a book by its cover. Doctors need to encourage strength/stamina and range of motion testing to establish basic fitness and better assess susceptibility to disease and age related deterioration.

Be well, be strong

Andrew and Tierney