This site is a collection of notes I've made over a couple decades as I researched fitness while planning on getting fitter.
After all this time (and research) am I "fit"? Depends on how you measure. Fitness is a spectrum and I've certainly travelled to a lot of different points along it. My current location is "argh, I could be better!", followed by stepping off the scale and swearing today (yes, TODAY!) is the day I stop snacking when I get home from work.
There are three things that motivate my intention to get fit. The first is a study I read in 2012:
Ability to sit and rise from the floor is closely correlated with all-cause mortality risk
"... a composite score below 8 (that is, requiring more than one hand or knee support to sit and rise from the floor in a stable way) were associated with 2 fold higher death rates over the 6.3 year study period. By contrast, scores in the range of 8 indicated a particularly low risk of death during the tracking period. 'Even more relevant,' reported the investigators, 'is the fact that a 1-point increment in the [sitting-rising] score was related to a 21% reduction in mortality.'"
The second thing is healthspan. "Lifespan is the total number of years lived by an individual. Healthspan is the number of disease-free years lived."
Longevity leap: mind the healthspan gap
"Age-associated outcomes are profoundly aggravated by frailty, a multisystem decline characterized by increased vulnerability. Frailty and associated geriatric syndromes are under-recognized despite engendering poor quality of life, disability, falls, hospitalization, long-term care, and mortality... Responsible action plans should thus help re-design life in aging, aspiring to achieve quality with quantity."
For me, the red bar on that chart begins in less than 10 years.
The third is this:
"A well built physique is a status symbol. It reflects you worked hard for it, no money can buy it. You cannot borrow it, you cannot inherit it, you cannot steal it. You cannot hold onto it without constant work. It shows discipline, it shows self respect, it shows patience, work ethic and passion. That is why I do what I do." - Arnold Schwarzenegger
I've put this up because it might be useful to someone else. Keep in mind, however, that I offer no advice here—at best, any conclusions stated here are opinions, and any real solutions to your health problems should come from a physician or physical therapist. And not some idiot on the Internet...