How active are you?

How active are you?

Find out your activity level

Choose the statement that best identifies your weekly movement habits. Based on your answer, you will obtain some useful tips to improve your lifestyle.

HOW ACTIVE ARE YOU?

No physical activity

Inactive

Attention: it is good that you start moving and spend less time sitting down! The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity for the prevention of major chronic diseases. So do at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Small changes will make a difference to your health.

Helpful tips:

Park the car at least 10 minutes on foot from the office or home.

When you have to travel for a few kilometers, use the bicycle.

Avoid taking the elevator, go up the stairs.

150 minutes a week of light activity

Not very active

Well, you are not completely sedentary. However, to obtain significant benefits for your health and general well-being, you need to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day. It is not that difficult. It is enough to introduce small changes in your routine to make your life more active and qualitatively healthier.

Helpful tips:

Park the car at least 10 minutes on foot from the office or home and reach your destination at a fast pace.

When you have to travel for a few kilometers, use the bicycle: your cardiovascular system and the environment will benefit.

Avoid taking the elevator, go up the stairs. If you are fit enough, and feel like you are making too little effort, go up two steps at a time.

150 minutes a week of moderate activity

Moderately active

Well, you are in line with the WHO recommendations. However, keep in mind that 150 minutes a week of moderate activity is the minimum level. You can get more health benefits by increasing the amount of moderate activity or by increasing the intensity of your activities.

Strength training sessions per week

Beginner

Well, exercising your muscles is extremely helpful. The scientific community recommends strength training for various benefits such as metabolic health, blood sugar control, the prevention of common orthopaedic problems (eg back pain, spinal arthritis). But remember that just strength training is not enough. To improve cardio-circulatory and respiratory function, it is also necessary to do aerobic activities for at least 150 minutes a week.

Helpful tips:

Train regularly to develop greater resistance and less sense of fatigue. Choose simple activities like walking, running (or jogging), biking, low-intensity swimming, cross-country skiing, exercise bike, and treadmill, and measure your progress over time.

If you have a tendency to be lazy, consider joining a group fitness class to make exercise more enjoyable.

Daily light activity + 150 minutes per week of moderate activity

Beginner

Well, you are on the right track. You move on a daily basis plus you do a certain amount of moderate intensity activity. However, you can still improve. Have you ever thought about starting a structured physical activity programme?

Tips:

Incorporate strength-building activities into your routine for additional health benefits. If you haven’t been doing structured physical activities for a long time, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor for advice.

You can use cardio fitness equipment or participate in group aerobic activities. Ask a personal trainer to design your fitness programme. The best workout plan is the one that suits your needs, your goals and your characteristics.

2 aerobic workouts per week

Intermediate

You are doing well. If you enjoy doing two cardio sessions a week, you are on the best way to wellness and good health. Evidence shows that working out regularly can provide favourable health outcomes, increase your life span and contribute to a better quality of life. But you can still do better. If you add two strength training sessions to your weekly activity, you will get closer to the ideal activity level!

Daily light activity + 2 workouts per week: aerobic, strength or for a sport

Active

Really very good! You are an active person, engaged in activities that bring significant benefits to your level of wellness and your health. Remember that the ideal condition is to be moderately active in everyday life and to carry out structured physical activity at least twice a week.

Always keep your motivation high: if necessary, change the type of activity or try your hand at some non-competitive race.
If for any reasons, you have to stop your workouts for a certain time, don’t be discouraged. Start again as soon as possible at a lower intensity level.
If you do an individual physical activity and you start to find it boring, do not hesitate: look for a friend or a partner to share your workouts with.

150 minutes per week of moderate activity + 3 combined workouts per week (aerobic and strength)

A Wellness Ambassador!

Congratulations, your activity level is optimal! Continue like this, you can also become a Wellness Ambassador. There are many people around you who are sedentary or just not active enough who could benefit significantly from your example. So why don’t you try to involve them and make them passionate about the wellness lifestyle? They will be grateful to you.

HOW ACTIVE ARE YOU?

No physical activity

Park the car at least 10 minutes on foot from the office or home.

When you have to travel for a few kilometers, use the bicycle.

Avoid taking the elevator, go up the stairs.

150 minutes a week of light activity

Park the car at least 10 minutes on foot from the office or home and reach your destination at a fast pace.

When you have to travel for a few kilometers, use the bicycle: your cardiovascular system and the environment will benefit.

Avoid taking the elevator, go up the stairs. If you are fit enough, and feel like you are making too little effort, go up two steps at a time.

150 minutes a week of moderate activity

Strength training sessions per week

Train regularly to develop greater resistance and less sense of fatigue. Choose simple activities like walking, running (or jogging), biking, low-intensity swimming, cross-country skiing, exercise bike, and treadmill, and measure your progress over time.

If you have a tendency to be lazy, consider joining a group fitness class to make exercise more enjoyable.

Daily light activity + 150 minutes per week of moderate activity

Incorporate strength-building activities into your routine for additional health benefits. If you haven’t been doing structured physical activities for a long time, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor for advice.

You can use cardio fitness equipment or participate in group aerobic activities. Ask a personal trainer to design your fitness programme. The best workout plan is the one that suits your needs, your goals and your characteristics.

2 aerobic workouts per week

Daily light activity + 2 workouts per week: aerobic, strength or for a sport

150 minutes per week of moderate activity + 3 combined workouts per week (aerobic and strength)

Start again

Feeling good is an opportunity for all, for you as well.

A Wellness lifestyle is also recommended by the World Health Organization in its 2020 “Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour”.

The Guidelines emphasize the importance for people of all ages to undertake regular aerobic physical activity and to do muscle-strengthening activities for substantial health benefits.

2020 Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

It is recommended that:

Children and adolescents Image - Children and adolescents

Children and adolescents should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week.

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, should be incorporated at least 3 days a week.

Strong recommendation, moderate certainty evidence

Adults

All adults should undertake regular physical activity.

Adults should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity; or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous- intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week, for substantial health benefits.

Strong recommendation, moderate certainty evidence

Physical activity and exercise are commonly used as synonyms. However, there is a significant difference between them.

Physical activity is any form of movement that works your muscles and uses more energy than you use when resting.

Physical exercise refers to physical activity in a structured form (quantified by volume, duration, frequency, intensity), planned and performed regularly in order to improve or maintain your fitness level and your health.

You are getting adequate exercise, if you regularly do during the week:

Cardiovascular training

Strength training

Flexibility training

Being physically active improves your body functionality and reduces the risks associated with overweight and aging. The benefits that can be obtained with regular exercise are many: it helps the cardiovascular system work better, it reduces the risk of osteoporosis, increases muscle strength and elasticity, tones the body and makes it more harmonious. In addition, it regulates sleep and appetite, improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety and increases self-confidence.
We have a wide range of options to keep fit. With a little effort, we can adopt the correct movement habits.
We can start moving at any age and achieve excellent results by following the activity programme that best suits our needs and personal goals.
It is never too late to become fitter, healthier and happier.

The Decalogue of Wellness

Wellness lifestyle cannot be achieved without healthy habits, a daily commitment and positive attitude and motivation.

The Decalogue of Wellness is an easy guide designed to help you develop the good habits for a healthy life.
Start building these 10 simple yet essential habits to improve your wellbeing and live a happier and more productive life.

The Decalogue of Wellness is based on the principles of the Wellness lifestyle and promoted by the Wellness Foundation as an opportunity for everyone to discover the lasting benefits of ‘mens sana in corpore sano’.