Fitness self-assessment
How fit are you?
Keeping
active can improve your health and wellbeing and lower your risk of developing
major chronic diseases.
The Department
of Health recommends that adults should do 150 minutes of physical activity a
week. Those aged 18 and under should be doing an hour each day. Are you doing
enough?
Use this
assessment to find out.
QUESTIONS
1. How old are you?
a) 18 and under (0 points)
As you are under 18
you should be active for at least one hour a day
Find out
about activity levels for your age
b) 19 to 30 (0 points)
Adults should do at least 150 minutes
moderate or 75 minutes vigorous physical activity a week.
Find out
about activity levels for your age
c) 31 to 45 (0 points)
Adults should do at least 150 minutes
moderate or 75 minutes vigorous physical activity a week.
Find out
about activity levels for your age
d) 46 to 64 (0 points)
Adults should do at least 150 minutes
moderate or 75 minutes vigorous physical activity a week.
Find out
about activity levels for your age
e) 65 plus (0 points)
Over 65s should take
particular care to keep moving and retain their mobility through daily activity
- at least 30 minutes, five days a week.
Find out
about activity levels for your age
Physical
activity for the under 5s
For those under
five, being active is important for growth and development.
For babies it's important to
make sure they can move as much as possible, for example letting them lie them on their stomach so they can kick their legs and
stretch their arms.
For children who can walk,
they should be active for at least three hours every day. The good news is they
get a lot of this by just playing at the playground or park, climbing and
jumping, running and chasing.
FOR ADULTS ONLY (i.e. if respondents answer b,c,d or e to question 1)
2. The Department of Health recommends
adults are moderately active for 150 minutes or vigorously active for 75
minutes each week. In an average week, how close are you to achieving this?
a) You achieve this
every week (3 points)
By meeting the recommended levels of
physical activity, the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes is reduced by up to 50%.
b) You’re almost
there, but not quite (2 points)
Upping your physical activity levels
to 150 minutes a week will lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes - by up to 50%.
c) You do around half
of what’s recommended (1 points)
Upping your physical activity levels
to 150 minutes a week will lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes - by up to 50%.
d) You’re a long way
off doing what’s recommended (0 points)
It’s
very important that you start being more active to reduce your risk of heart
disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
What ‘moderate and vigorous’ mean
Moderate: physical activity
that increases your heart rate, makes you warm and slightly out of breath but
allows you to maintain a conversation.
Vigorous: physical activity
that increases your heart rate, causes you to breathe
rapidly and makes a conversation difficult.
Adults should do a minimum of
150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes vigorous physical activity a week. This
activity should last for at least 10 minutes, could be a combination of both
and can be spread out over the week.
FOR 18 AND UNDER
3. Those aged between 5 and 18 should be
active for 60 minutes every day. On an average day, how close are you to
achieving this?
a) You achieve this
every day (3 points)
Being active when you’re young helps
to build strong muscles and healthy bones.
b) You're almost there
but not quite (2 points)
You
need to up your levels to an hour a day. Being active when
you’re young helps to build strong
muscles and healthy bones.
c) You do around half
of what's recommended (1 points)
You
need to up your levels to an hour a day. Being active when
you’re young helps to build strong
muscles and healthy bones.
d) You're a long way
off (0 points)
It’s
very important that you start being more active. Being active when you’re young helps to build strong muscles and healthy bones, can
help improve self-confidence and will help maintain a healthy weight.
FOR ADULTS ONLY
4. How many days a week do you do activities
that strengthen your muscles?
a) At least two days (2
points)
You’re already working on
strengthening your muscles which is great for your health.
b) One day (1 point)
You’re already working on your muscle
strength which is great for your health. By increasing it to two days a week
you’ll gain maximum health benefits.
c) Hardly ever (0 point)
You need to work on your
muscle strength. Try doing exercises that use your body
weight for resistance.
What are muscle
strengthening activities?
Besides aerobic activity, you
need to do things to strengthen your muscles at least two days a week. These
activities should work all the major muscle groups of your body (legs, hips,
back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms).
Examples include lifting
weights, doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance (eg sit-ups,
push-ups), heavy gardening or manual work, yoga or tai chi.
To gain health benefits,
muscle-strengthening activities need to be done to the point where it's hard
for you to do another repetition without help.
FOR 18 & UNDER ONLY
4. How many days a week do you do
activities that strengthen your muscles?
a) At least three days
(2 points)
You’re already working on
strengthening your muscles which is great for your health.
Fitness
training tips
b) One or two days (1
point)
You’re already working on your muscle
strength which is great for your health. By increasing it to three days a week
you’ll gain maximum health benefits.
c) Hardly ever (0 point)
You need to work on your muscle
strength. Try doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance.
What are muscle
strengthening activities?
Besides aerobic activity, you
need to do things to strengthen your muscles and bones at least three days a
week. These activities should work all the major muscle groups of your body
(legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms).
This could include resistance
exercises using body weight or resistance bands, rope or tree climbing and
sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and tennis.
Younger children might also try games such as tug of war, swinging on
playground equipment/bars and hopping, skipping and jumping.
5. If you're not doing enough physical
activity, which of the following best describes why? (You can pick more than
one)
a) 'I don't have time'
(0 point)
Consider building activities into your
daily routine, like walking more or cycling to work.
b) 'I'm too tired' (0
point)
Exercise can boost energy levels and
even improve your sleep. Try to do a little each day.
Overcoming
mental barriers
c) 'I don't have the
willpower' (0 point)
Setting a goal can really help strengthen your
willpower and achieving it will have great mental as well as physical health
benefits.
d) 'I don't like to
exercise' (0 point)
Try out lots of different activities
to find something you can enjoy on a regular basis.
e) 'It's
hard work' (0 point)
As well having physical health
benefits, keeping active can boost mental wellbeing so try to do a little
rather than avoiding it.
f) ‘None of these’ (0 point)
6. How would you describe the way you
feel after climbing a flight of stairs?
a) Great (4 points)
b) Ok (3 points)
c)Breathless (2 points)
Avoid taking the lift or escalator
every time and start using the stairs. It’s an easy way to build activity into
your day.
d) Exhausted (1 points)
Try to make small changes in your day
to increase your activity levels. Over time you'll be able to climb stairs
without feeling exhausted.
e) Can’t do it (0
points)
Not being able to climb stairs may
suggest you need to see your GP for a health check.
7. How many of the following could you do easily? (You
can pick more than one.)
a) 10 sit-ups (2 points)
b) 5 push-ups (2 points)
c) Touch your toes (1 points)
d) 20 star jumps (2 points)
e) None of these (0
points)
RESULTS
12-16 points
Based on your responses today you are close to meeting or exceeding the
recommended levels of physical activity. This is great for your health. Keep up
the good work.
The points in italics beneath your responses
should give you a list of things to consider.
7-12 points
Based on your responses today you’re physically
active but not quite meeting recommended levels.
The points in italics beneath your responses
should give you a list of things to consider.
0-6 points
Based on your responses today you're not very active and struggling
with motivation. Start small and build up. You’ll soon gain in confidence and
feel better.
The points in italics beneath your responses
should give you a list of things to consider.
LINKS
Why it`s
important to be active
How to
adopt an active lifestyle
Watch
how others started exercising more
The ten
minute legs, bums and tums workout
NHS Choices 2011