Being Overweight Doesn’t Mean Your Out of Conditioning

21 January 2012No Comment

Most make the mistake of assuming that just because someone may be slightly overweight that must automatically mean that they are out of shape, in regards to conditioning, stamina, strength, speed, power, and endurance.  That’s yet another myth that’s been perpetuated for decades.  But like many other things, “looks can be deceiving”. 

Take as a case in point UFC athlete Roy Nelson.  Muscle and Fitness recently published that “Physique is not always an indicator of fitness.  Exhibit A: Roy “Big Country” Nelson outlasting lean, chiseled opponents in the Octagon.  It turns out that big guys like Nelson who frequently engage in aerobic exercise often have lower oxidized LDL cholesterol than their sedentary counterparts, regardless of weight.  In a recent study, Finnish researchers found no difference in cholesterol levels between fit subjects who were overweight and fit subjects of normal weight.  The cost of those extra pounds on your joints, however, is another story.”