There is much debate about what true fitness is. Is it the person who can run a marathon everyday for a month straight or is it being able to lift 500 pounds off of the floor? Is it having a strong, lean body or being able to turn heads when you walk by at the beach? Is it the professional athlete who can do amazing things with their sport or is it the stay-at-home mom who seems to work endlessly for her family?

As a fitness professional, I've reached my own standard of fitness. It may be a bit different then the "industry" definition, however this is how we measure if someone is living the "FIT" lifestyle.

1. Fitness is being physically able to perform life's many tasks to the best one's ability.

Life involves a lot of stuff. We have to run after the kids, do yard work, help a friend move, play in a weekend sports tournament, go for a walk, carry a piece of furniture upstairs (sometimes all of this in one day) You get the point. If we are able to perform all of these tasks to the best of our ability, all of the time, we are on our way to be fit. That's what we workout for, that's why we train. Life's tasks are too important to let our physical UNfitness get in the way. Take care of your physical body by working out, resting and eating properly. These are the 3 main components of physical fitness.

2. Fitness is being emotionally stable.

How many people do you know that are on emotional roller coasters. They experience every high and every low imaginable about every situation. True fitness is having control and discipline over our emotional lives. It's ok to be happy, sad, angry and blah as long as we realize why we are that way and can control it. Did you know that how we live our physical lives (exercise, rest and nutrition play a major role in our emotions) Take a look at your emotional life, are you controlling your emotions or do they need some training?

3. Fitness is being mentally sharp and alert.

It wasn't that long ago that I realized the importance of being a life learner. 12 years of school, 4 years of college and 2 years of grad school taught me a lot, however not everything. It is our responsibility to keep our minds in shape by reading, studying and listening to thought provoking material. I had a cousin who used to say that television turns your mind to jelly. Although I don't believe that altogether, watching just one evening of most our television programs actually seems to make us dumber. Be a good steward of your mind and take notice to how you are training your mind. Is it in need of some exercise?

4. Fitness is knowing who we are and what we are here for.

What good is life without purpose? Many of us ignore our spiritual sides as we pursue our physical fitness. Being spiritually fit plays a huge role in the "FIT" lifestyle. Realizing that we have been made in the image of God and have been placed here for his purposes gives "life" to life and meaning to the day. How's your spiritual being? Is it fat and out of shape or fit and ready to go? Start training your spiritual self through prayer and bible study for a new body and life.

So there you have it....fitness defined.

Now here's the question....how fit are you? Be honest.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kirk Ream