Being fit is not always being healthy: the importance of balance for complete well-being

Today, many people are rediscovering their enthusiasm for sports and physical activity. However, there is an important distinction that is often overlooked: fitness and health are not the same thing.

It’s easy to think that being fit means being healthy, but that’s a misconception. While elite athletes are certainly fit for their specific sport, whether it’s running a marathon or lifting weights, they often face significant health challenges. For example, marathon runners are more vulnerable to infections, and many top athletes suffer from chronic pain and injuries. Their fitness is specialized for peak performance, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily in good overall health.

Fitness vs. Health: The Difference

The difference between fitness and health is profound. Fitness is often about achieving peak performance, but health involves a broader, more holistic state of well-being. Health is about being in balance with our bodies and our DNA, which has evolved over thousands of years.

For most of us, the goal should be to achieve a fitness that supports our health, rather than pursuing a fitness that can damage it. The key is to exercise in harmony with our biological programming, something that is too often overlooked in modern workout routines.

Our ancestors didn’t train for marathons or compete in weightlifting competitions, but they were still very active in ways that supported their health. Modern life, however, has led us to sit for long hours, walk less, and do far less physical activity. To truly optimize our health, we need to reconnect with the movements our bodies were designed to make.

The Importance of Nature and Balance

Another crucial element to achieving health is spending time in nature. Being immersed in natural environments not only offers a change of scene, but has profound effects on our physical and mental health. Nature has a calming and rebalancing effect that helps us relax and reorganize our nervous system.

In today’s fast-paced world where we are constantly stimulated and connected, it’s easy to forget that our bodies are designed to thrive in simpler, slower environments. Spending time outside, whether walking in the park, hiking, or simply sitting in nature, has a powerful impact on reducing stress, lowering cortisol levels, and improving our overall well-being. The silence of nature helps calm our nervous system, promoting the deep relaxation that is essential for true health.

Exercise, when done correctly, can also help regulate our nervous system and improve our emotional stability. Physical activities that connect us with the body, such as functional training or mindful yoga, can have a direct impact on managing stress and improving mental health. It's not about the intensity or quantity of exercise, but the quality of the movements and the awareness with which we exercise.

Reconnecting with Your Body

The bottom line is that fitness, when in harmony with our natural needs and practiced with awareness, can significantly improve both our physical and mental health. True health does not come from overworking the body to achieve extraordinary performance, but from a balanced approach that respects the natural rhythms of our organism.

Incorporating slow, focused movements, such as walking, stretching, core mobility exercises, and occasional short, intense efforts, can bring all the benefits of exercise without compromising the original design of our bodies. Additionally, when combined with the healing power of nature and practices that help us manage our nervous system, we can create a lifestyle that promotes health, balance, and vitality.

Functional Body functional training embodies this approach, focusing on the individual: how they breathe, how they think, what their stress level is and what phase of life they are going through. Based on this information, workouts are structured that can include postural exercises, mobility, flexibility, strength, awareness and breathing. The Fit20 formula, with its intensive training, focuses on developing strength at high intensity, effectively combating problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and much more, always respecting the needs of the body. These practices not only enhance physical fitness, but also support overall health, becoming powerful tools for anyone who wants to live a more balanced and satisfying life.

True well-being lies in the harmony between body and mind, fitness and relaxation, commitment and rest, movement and stillness, and between us and nature.