5 signs you could be FIT but unhealthy
Are you FIT but unhealthy?
You run, bike, hike mountains, climb, lift weights, train regularly and you’re fitter than plenty of people half your age.
So you’re doing pretty well, right?
Well… maybe.
Your back keeps flaring up. Your hips complain after longer runs. You’ve got a collection of niggles that take turns making an appearance.
You’re fit. But is your body actually coping with everything you’re asking of it?
Because being fit and being healthy aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Here are five signs that being fit might be coming at a higher price than you realise.
1. You keep getting injured
You get injured. You rest, stretch, strengthen, have treatment. Eventually things improve.
Brilliant. Back to training!
Then a few weeks later, something else starts hurting. Or the same old problem makes another appearance.
Here we go again.
But what if the problem isn’t simply the bit that hurts?
Perhaps your back keeps getting overloaded because of how you move, rather than because it’s weak.
Strengthening it might help, but won’t necessarily change how you use day to day.
And before you blame your age, recurring injuries aren’t inevitable. There are often reasons worth investigating and things you can change
2. You focus on how much you do, not how you do it
More miles. Heavier weights. Faster times. We love measuring progress, don’t we?
But have you ever considered how your body is actually doing the work?
You might deadlift a decent weight while your lower back does more than its fair share. Or run 10 miles while one leg takes most of the load.
You can be strong enough to do something, but still be putting unnecessary strain on your body.
And those habits don’t clock off when you leave the gym. They’re there in everyday movement too
3. You're not recovering as well as you think
You train hard. Eat well. Sleep. planned rest days. Even thrown in a few cold dips.
So recovery is sorted, right?
- You’re picking up every cold going around.
- Your sleep isn’t refreshing,
- You’re more irritable
- Workouts that normally feel easy are becoming a struggle.
And what do you do?
You stick to the training plan anyway. Skipping a sessions? Unthinkable!
But if your body is telling you it’s struggling, is pushing through really making you fitter?
4. You're gradually working around what hurts
You’ve stopped running downhill because of your knees.
Deadlifts are off the menu because of your back.
You don’t run beyond 10K anymore.
You’re still active. Still fit.
But has your world started getting smaller without you noticing?
It’s surprisingly easy to become very good at working around problems rather than changing them.
What if you put some of that effort into changing the problem instead?
5. You have no idea what your breathing is doing
Breathing. You do it all day.
But what happens when you actually notice it?
- Does it feel fast and shallow, even at rest?
- Do you regularly catch yourself holding your breath?
- Does slowing it down feel surprisingly difficult?
Perhaps even paying attention to your breathing makes you feel a little anxious.
These are signs that your body is under more pressure than you realise.
Being fit is only part of the picture
I love fitness. I love seeing people challenge themselves and discover what they’re capable of.
But how much effort are you putting into simply keeping yourself going?
The regular treatments. The endless niggles. The cancelled races, missed adventures and weeks spent rebuilding fitness.
Perhaps you’ve become so good at managing your body that you’ve stopped questioning why it needs so much managing.
What if the effort you’re already putting into keeping your body going could actually help you build a better one?
Fed up with the same pain or injury coming back?
Maybe you’ve strengthened, stretched, rested, had treatment and bought enough foam rollers to open your own shop.
And yet here you are.
Perhaps it’s time for a different conversation.
Book your free 30-minute Pain & Injury Call
Hi, I’m Julie, a Movement Coach specialising in recurring pain and injuries.
Got a problem that keeps coming back? Bring it to me!
This isn’t a sales call disguised as a free consultation.
It’s 30 minutes to explore what’s happening, what you’ve tried and what might be worth looking at differently.
I’ll share my thinking, ask questions you might not have considered and give you something practical to explore afterwards.
I’d like you to leave thinking, “Oh! I’ve never looked at it like that before.”
If we end up working together, brilliant.
If not, I hope you’ve gained something useful. And if you know someone else battling the same old injuries, feel free to send them my way!
I’m a Movement Coach at Your Peak Potential in Bromley Cross, Bolton. I work with clients from all over the North West.