Sometimes it may seem that depending upon whom you talk to—and what chart you look at— you can find yourself more or less physically fit.

Talk to one person and "you’re fine" if your weight is in a certain proportion to your height and build. Talk to another and you have nothing to worry about as long as your heart rate and blood pressure are at certain levels.

Talk to others and it’s your fat-to-muscle ratio, or your percent­age of body fat; still others measure fitness in terms of agility, strength, or endurance. One thing for certain in the view of most health profes­sionals is that there’s controversy here.

If you remember that physical fitness involves three basic components and not just one, you can keep those one-dimensional standards in their proper place.

There are many standards and modes of measurement, and many are applicable. To be truly fit requires a combination, a balance. If your weight is "correct" but your body is a col­lection of flabby tissue, you have room for improvement.

If you’re toned but your heart races after a leisurely stroll, or if a visit to the doctor’s office reveals that your blood pressure is soaring above 120/80, you have a way to go.

"Your aerobic fitness level, not your body weight, is the best measure of your overall health," according to Steven N. Blair, P.E.D., senior scien­tific editor of the 1996 Surgeon General’s report. "In terms of health and longevity, your fitness level is far more important than your weight."