Fitness or weight loss: Which is better?

Udita Madan

Weight loss. These two words have a kind of mystifying power over the entire world. It probably even reminded you that you missed your morning walk today or skipped your gym class.

If there's one thing that everyone thinks about practically everyday, it's about how they can shed those extra kilos or lose that ever-persistent belly fat.

But have you ever stopped for minute and thought about being fit rather than slim? Got you thinking, didn't it? You may be slim, but are you fit and healthy?

Fitness, many people may not be aware, is more important than losing weight. Fitness is more than just staying slim. It is a result of healthy diet and exercise, and overall good health.

Being slim may not necessarily mean that you're fit. Therefore, it's high time you changed your goal from losing weight to getting fit!

Below, we bring you a few benefits of staying fit and why it holds more value than just simply losing weight.

1. Fitness:

The most essential thing for you to know is that while fitness will most definitely result in weight loss, vice versa isn't true. Weight loss cannot ensure fitness. You can lose weight even in an unhealthy way. Fitness involves everything good. You need to exercise, ensure appropriate rest, and eat healthy to achieve your fitness goal.

2. Improved digestion:

Weight loss may often harm your digestion. A change in diet can cause bloating, bodily changes and discomfort. Exercise can also help you avoid digestive problems. Even easy-to-do exercises like breathing, walking, and other physical activities can improve your digestive system. A general fitness routine worked out through proper balanced diet and exercise for improved digestive function can be done.

3. Health benefits:

Fitness results in healthy respiratory and circulatory systems. Overall fitness gives you healthy skin, alertness and a healthy system. While weight loss may be bad for your health and respiratory system, regular exercise and a healthy diet aids the heart in the smooth circulation of blood and oxygen.

4. Better lymphatic system:

Your lymphatic system is also a part of the circulatory system, comprising a network that provides better flow of fluid called lymph which improves circulation, reduces swelling, metabolism and flexibility. Basic exercises like strength training and stretching can improve the lymphatic system.

5. Healthy heart:

Another benefit of preferring fitness over weight loss, is a healthier cardiovascular system. A person deprived of exercise has a higher risk of cardiovascular problems like heart attack and stroke. Weight loss through dieting or an overdose of exercising may do more harm than good.

6. Mental health:

Physical fitness means a healthy body and more than that, it means a healthy mind. Physical fitness is connected to your mental health in every way possible.  Every physical activity makes the brain agile, sharp and alert. Mental fitness is as crucial as physical health and weight loss may result in fatigue and depression, which puts the brain under unwanted pressure.

7. Attractive personality:

Exercise improves your muscles and hence, your overall personality. You can do everything in a better way. Weight loss ignores your body's actual needs and therefore you lose your personality as well.

So make fitness the key to your happiness!