Health is defined by the World Health Organization as ‘a total physical and psychological sense of well-being and not merely the absence of disease’.
Fitness on the other hand is tied closely to physical performance and sport such as the ability to run quickly or for long periods of time. A regular walker or hiker can therefore be every bit as healthy as a marathon runner despite lacking the fitness attributes that allow the runner to complete a race in a limited amount of time.
A more concrete example of this would be comparing blood pressure and blood cholesterol between runners and walkers. Assuming that other lifestyle, diet and genetics are similar, the results of these tests would be similar and doctors would give each a clean bill of health with respect to these measures.
How do you train for health?
By doing anything that gets you moving. Perform multiple bouts of activity for 10 minutes at a time if the thought of a 30 minute walk is intimidating. If you are carrying extra weight you should expect your activity to be more challenging so don’t overdue it.
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