Why Fitness and Vitality, and what is Vitality?

I get asked all the time "David, why did you go with Health and Vitality, and not Health and Fitness?"

There are a few reasons for this and let me explain. Health and Fitness is a very common phrase, so I would be battling with many, many other people using these names in their business, but that is a very superficial reason, so let me dig a little deeper and explain the true reason for me being THE "Health and Vitality" expert out there.

Firstly we have to get a better understanding of these words, Health, Fitness and Vitality, both individually and grouped together. Lets start with the obvious one HEALTH

Health, when checked out in a dictionary simply states "the state of being free from illness or injury". When we talk about health in the general population we are talking about a persons organs working in harmony, in a state where there is no inflammation or sickness as a result of the organs, and that their joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles work freely and smoothly in the way they were meant to operate. Someone can be completely healthy, but be far from fit (I will explain in more detail later)

Fitness by definition is "the condition of being physically fit". In my world as a coach of athletes we describe fitness as "Being able to execute particular movements that enable you to run, jump, throw, lift, in a safe and functional manner. So in this case, someone may be able to run fast, jump high, lift heavy weights, therefore by the meaning of Fitness they are extremely fit, and yet at the same time be unhealthy. There are many, many athletes that would be considered amongst the fittest on earth and yet, due to "health" issues either have to retire from their sport prematurely, or even end up dead in their prime.  

Vitality is "The state of being strong and active". We talk a lot about Vitality being that X factor, where people are not just full of Vim and Vigour, or have that spring in their step, but how it is also contagious. If you are in the same room as a person  that has high Vitality, then it is almost inevitable that at least some of it will rub off on you. Vitality therefore is more of an attitude that can be learnt by anyone that is willing to go that little bit extra to reach out and get it. I am super passionate about helping teams, workplaces, schools, families and individuals raise their levels or standards of Vitality in order to have a much more rewarding, fun and productive life.

As explained above you can be perfectly Healthy and yet not be able to run out of sight in a week, or you may be super fit and yet die due to being unhealthy. You can even have a combination of being both Fit and Healthy, and yet feel sluggish and not be a productive member of work or society. I have seen my fair share of "Fit and Healthy" people that need to have some electricity run through their system to get things done, and this "electric" shock is some Vitality. You see it when there are the "gym buffs" that can throw weights around like they were feathers and yet ask them to get things completed at work and they don't have the drive or energy to get things done at work.

With the system that I have put together, anybody can raise their Vitality with a few little tweaks of their lifestyle and habits. These have been taken from my career as a coach, trainer and athlete, as well as being able to study top high performance coaches and see what they do, and why they do it. As we progress along the concepts will start to roll together and you will see how with a few little changes here and there you will noticeably see and feel your Vitality and general Zest for life returning in all areas of life. This doesn't mean there won't be any more issues, because problems are inevitable in a full life, and it is through these problems things get done and where we find out more about ourselves, and the people around us. But you will cope better with adversity and be able to better adapt with the bumps in life that are thrown at you and therefore enjoy life so much more.

David Lindsay

Intergrated Health and Vitality