FITNESS vs WELLNESS
One who is PHYSICALLY FIT should be feeling well.
One who is FEELING WELL should be physically fit.
Which one of the above statements is true? Both can be true or none. Because fit and well are relative terms. They could be ambiguous at times.
So what is Fitness, and what is Wellness?
Claim:: Fit/Fitness & Well/Wellness -are NOT interchangeable terms.
Reason:: Because, fitness is physical attribution, it is quantitative; and wellness is mental attribution, it is qualitative.
Warrant:: Physically Fit person is not always at the optimum health & a perfectly healthy person may not be (technically speaking) physically fit.
A : Dictionary Definitions:
1: Cambridge International Dictionary of English (http://uk.cambridge.org/elt/cide)
fit (HEALTHY) adjective in good health, esp. as a result of exercise; strong
She's very fit because she does a lot of ballet dancing.
People often find that if they keep/stay fit, they sleep better.
(British slang) If you describe someone as fit, you mean that they are sexually attractive.
INFORMAL She said she was (as) fit as a fiddle (=in very good health).
fitness noun [U] Physical fitness is encouraged for children in most schools.
well (HEALTHY) adjective [usually after v] healthy; not ill.
He hasn't been too well lately.
When she came home from school she didn't look at all well.
I'm sorry you're ill - I hope you get well soon.
They sent a get well card.
The health center has set up a well woman/man clinic (=a place where particular features of health important to women/men can be tested).
wellness noun [U] AMERICAN a wellness clinic
2: The Merriam Webster Dictionary:
Fitness: Physically and Mentally sound.
Wellness: Good health, esp. as an actively sought goal.
3: http://www.britannica.com/dictionary:
Main Entry: fit·ness- noun
1 : the quality or state of being fit
2 : the capacity of an organism to survive and transmit its genotype to reproductive offspring as compared to competing organisms;
also: the contribution of an allele or genotype to the gene pool of subsequent generations as compared to that of other alleles or genotypes
Main Entry: well·ness- noun
the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal
1. wellness clinics
2. lifestyles that promote wellness
B : Stipulations: Wellness, in my point of view, is well rounded term. It is not just focusing on physical health, but includes our mental, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of well-being too.
Similarly, Fitness is also more complete when we refer to others’ adaptability to the life, their appropriateness, current-ness, and their well adjusted presence in the society.
Wellness is how we feel and evaluate ourselves, whereas fitness is how we evaluate others. Wellness is internalized, Fitness is externalized.
C : Negations: Fitness doesn’t include your health conditions. It is not your Diet practice. It is not about your social circle. It never takes your feelings into consideration.
Wellness, on the other hand, doesn’t focus on how far you can run/jog in a given time. It is not how well you fit into a sports team. It is not even about your high result of an endurance test.
D : Examples: Wellness is specifically health term. We send well-wishing cards to our sick friend. We feel down and say, “I don’t feel well”. “I didn’t come to school on Tuesday, because I wasn’t feeling well”.
Fitness, is very limited to physical qualities, at times quantities too. Either you fit into a dress or not, there is nothing in between. You are capable of going through certain endurance test to be qualified as fit in that particular category. You are in or not. It is black-and-white. No gray matter.
E : Extended Definitions: That’s why fitness is physical, quantitative. They can measure your physical fitness, but none can measure anybody’s feeling of wellness. To feel well you don’t need quantity, but surely some quality of life.
A person weighing 300 lbs, might be in good health condition, without any diseases. Though that person will not be called “Physically Fit”, he or she might be feeling perfectly fine inside. Their social circle might be just fine for them. They may feel Well. That is more important for happy living.
An Athlete, a well acclaimed sports person may be feeling miserable due to his or her lack of social life. They may be in perfect health, dreamed body cuts, well desired figure. But if they don’t feel good in life, what is the point?
Conclusion: So the bottom line is attitude. It is our attitude that makes us happy, not only being FIT or feeling WELL. It is how we handle ourselves. Our life is a combination of wellness and fitness. Knowing them, getting there, and staying there, are the keys to happiness. Final word : “DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!!”
Sources:
1: Cambridge International Dictionary of English (http://uk.cambridge.org/elt/cide)
2: The Merriam Webster Dictionary
3: http://www.britannica.com/dictionary
4: Fit & Well: 4th Ed.: Fahey, Insel, Roth. Mayfield Publishing Company, 2001.
5: Nutrition Now: 3rd Ed. Brown, Judith. Wadsworth, Thomson Learning, 2002.
(In class presentation, August, 2002; De Anza College, Cupertino, California)
