When Fitness Means Life Or Death

[sshannon]

Are you fit enough to save your own life?

That's the premise of a new reality show from Discovery Health that premieres tonight (Jan. 11, but it's an ongoing series). Called "Fit to Live," it's based on Dr. Pamela Peeke's book of the same name and raises the question of whether you have the strength, endurance and agility to escape a natural disaster, flee a burning building or pull your family from a wrecked car.

Fitness isn't about working out at the gym or running a marathon, notes Dr. Peeke, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and chief medical correspondent for Discovery Health Television. Fitness is important for coping with life's emergencies, big and small, whether it's running to make an airport connection or fleeing a burning building.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/when-fitness-means-life-or-death/

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I think of fitness as necessary to do my job; i.e., increasing my odds of avoiding back injury, keeping up with the grueling pace of a busy shift, being able to bend over and pick up something I've dropped, etc.

I also think of fitness as necessary in order to enjoy the kind of life I want to live, such as traveling to far off places and taking hikes, cycling, snorkeling, and scuba diving. I can't very well do those things if I don't take care of myself. I have goals in life that involve the ability to perform physical activity beyond walking from my car to the front door or sitting on a beach chair with an umbrella drink.

As a search and rescue volunteer in the past, I saw my fair share of out of shape, deconditioned Sheriff's deputies and wannabe search and rescue volunteers who could not hike into remote wilderness areas to rescue lost citizens. Granted, they could remain at base and assist with logistics, or drive vehicles to drop off and pick up volunteers at pickup points, but *somebody* had to be fit enough to search for lost citizens for hours on end in rugged wilderness while wearing a forty pound backpack. Additionally, a person who is deconditioned who tries to go out there anyway can quickly become a liability.

I understand that many people are deconditioned due to circumstances beyond their own control, but barring those circumstances, I think fitness is very important. To me, fitness is not about appearance or image, but about quality of life.

[sshannon]

To me, fitness is not about appearance or image, but about quality of life.

That is my philosophy, too. I wish more people would realize that blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol levels, etc. -- coupled with conditioning for strength and endurance -- are more important than dress or pant size. I appreciate the Discovery Channel awakening people to this fact when so many other media outlets spend time encouraging unhealthy lifestyles.