I didn’t realize I lacked a clear definition of fitness — until I came across an article in the CrossFit Journal. It began with a bold claim: there wasn’t a good definition of fitness, so CrossFit was going to offer one. Their definition was built on three distinct models:
- Fitness as a function of 10 general physical skills
- Fitness as a function of performance on athletic tasks
- Fitness as a function of the body’s energy systems
I was blown away — mostly because I realized how little I knew. Discovering a topic I’m curious about but clueless on is deeply exciting for me. I went all in: reading books, following experts, and consuming as much content as I could. This was also around the time I was actively exploring ideas for my social venture.
CrossFit’s open-source model and transparent definitions were a big inspiration when I set up CoolCoach. I borrowed heavily from its philosophy while designing three key programs at CoolCoach:
- the School Health Program (for students from low-income families),
- the Fellowship Program (for sportspersons from similar backgrounds), and
- the Get Active Program (for everyday professionals looking to get fit).
Over time, though, I found that CrossFit’s definitions were too specific and nuanced — not just for our beneficiaries and customers, but even for our own team.
While building CoolCoach, I practiced CrossFit — but over time, I realized it wasn’t delivering the results I needed. CrossFit’s definitions, standards, and methodology were exciting on paper, but the CrossFit box I had access to over-indexed on workouts. I saw some impressive gains — only to undo them by falling sick or getting injured. It took time to recognize that I was ignoring other key aspects of fitness.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with CrossFit — but without good coaches, solid programming, and accessible spaces, it can fall short of expectations. So I went back to basics: running, gymming, and playing sports. Alongside, I kept digging — through books, journals, documentaries, and podcasts. Based on that research and years of personal experimentation, I landed on a simple working definition of fitness — and five levers that, in my experience, have an outsized impact. In the spirit of transparency, here they are:
Fitness is the capacity of the body to perform physical activity. And there are five levers that, in my experience, drive the biggest impact on fitness:
- Workouts: Any activity (sports/exercises) that gets your heart rate above normal. WHO recommends 75 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week.
- NEPA (Non-Exercise Physical Activity): A workout isn’t a license to stay sedentary the rest of the day. Movement — walking, bending, standing, sitting, stretching — that does not get your heart rate up matters too.
- Hydration: Daily water intake. Roughly 3+ litres for men and 2+ litres for women.
- Nutrition: Fueling your body. Eat enough to support your goals. Prioritize protein and stick to foods that are as minimally processed as possible.
- Sleep: 7–9 hours of good sleep, consistently. Without it, everything else suffers.
These five levers gave me a far more holistic approach than I’d ever had before. Once I began applying them consistently, things really began to shift.
More Fitness is better — but it’s worth asking: how much do you really need? Instead of chasing influencer workouts or generic goals, define what being fit means for your life. For me, after becoming a father of two boys while building a fitness focused social venture, it’s simple: I want the stamina to play football with them and the strength to carry them until they’re 15. And if I walk into a room, I want it to be obvious that I move my body regularly.
Over the last few years, I’ve focused on the five levers. Sleep is still a work in progress, but this has been the healthiest period of my life. Best of all, the behaviors that support these goals have become part of my routine — I hit them without even thinking about it.
This journey reminded me that fitness is deeply personal — and balance matters more than perfection. If you’re struggling, zoom out. Is it movement, food, sleep, or water that’s falling behind?