Like the guy in that article mentioned, I think it varies greatly by sport.

And something I'm discovering very recently...looks are VERY deceiving when it comes to swimmers. Most of the best ones I'm enountering at the pool are not typically 'fit' looking at all. Most of the women are actually more on the 'real woman have curves' side of the spectrum...and yet they swim like fish. It's really awesome to see!

The fastest, fittest female runners I know look like typical lean runners. The best cyclists I know look like generally all around fit women (most with muscular legs) and the fittest body-builders I know look just like regular (but strong) women in their everyday walking around stage (they get really lean when a competition comes up, but they don't live that way year round).

I think men are quite different. In fact, with the exception of a few small beer bellies, I know very few truly fit men who don't look very fit. Its like when they decide to actually GET fit, their outward appearance changes. Their bodies respond. The only exception would be bodybuilders in their 'bulking' stage.

Personally, I have a LOT of room for improvement both on my fitness and on how I look, but I haven't always been this way. In fact, I remember when I last had my bodyfat tested by a pro - he did it twice because he didn't believe the number. I was 18% bf and yet I had visible fat on my lower body. When I walked into that gym with my husband for the first time a month prior, they all fawned over him (he was not fit!) and tried to steer me towards an introductory course on using the machines and nutrition. When they asked us each what our goals were, the guy was already poised to check the 'weight loss' box for me before I'd even responded. It really pissed me off. I was fit but I clearly didn't look it where my husband was out of shape and overweight and they assumed he was the one with all the experience and fitness.