How well do you really know yourself? Sure, you’ve been living inside your skin for a long time, so one would assume that you are pretty familiar with yourself (unless you have a serious case of amnesia). But do you really know and understand what makes you tick, what delights you, what empowers you? Be honest. Because if you want to get stronger and fitter, you need to know what you’re really like and have a pulse on your strengths and weaknesses—as well as your likes, dislikes, and habits—so you can achieve your goals. If you don’t know where you’re coming from, how can you possibly tell where you’re going? Or whether you’ve arrived at your desired destination?
That’s why it’s important to assess where you are now in terms of fitness, diet, and lifestyle. You need to be clear on whether your habits are making you weaker or stronger, as well as what you will need to change to get the results you want. To help you do that, we’ve created a lifestyle checkup that will help you gauge these elements. Don’t worry—the results won’t be shared publicly, nor will they go on your report card. This is just a tool for self-discovery, to help you figure out what your patterns have been, where there’s room for improvement, and how you can set priorities for making changes that will enhance your ability to get stronger and fitter efficiently. Think of this as the first step in designing a road map that will help you get to a destination of greater strength and fitness. So tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in your responses.
This checkup has two parts. The first measures fitness and nothing but fitness. You’ll need to put yourself through your physical paces for this one, so break out your exercise gear and shoes. The main goal behind fitness testing is to get the 411 on your physical condition; that way, you have a benchmark against which you can compare your progress as you embark on the Strong Is the New Skinny (SINS) plan. The second part focuses on the rest of your life—your diet, your sleep patterns, and your state of mind. Each of these elements can help or hinder your health and fitness levels.
Let’s get started with the helping.
First, we’ll evaluate your cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. Don’t stress about your baseline results; the best things about them are that they can help motivate you to launch the fitness program that follows in these pages, and that they give you a yardstick against which you can gauge improvements as you progress through the plan. Record your results, and then retest yourself every four weeks, preferably at the same time of day, to see how far you’ve come and what your next steps should be.
CARDIO CONDITION. A good way to measure how hard your heart works when you’re moving at a steady pace is to do step-ups. (Jog or walk in place for a minute or two.) For this test, you’ll need a 12-inch step or platform (in case you’re wondering, the stair at the bottom of a staircase typically is too short). As quickly as you can, step up with one foot then the other, and down with one foot then the other in a continuous pattern. Do this for 3 minutes. You do not need to count your steps. After the 3 minutes are up, measure your heart rate by taking your pulse on your wrist: Extend your left forearm in front of you, with your palm facing up and your elbow slightly bent. Gently place the index and middle fingers of your right hand on the inside of your left wrist, just below the base of your left thumb, until you feel your pulse. Count the beats in 20 seconds then multiply this number by 3 to get your heart beats per minute. Locate your count in the table below.
UPPER-BODY STRENGTH. Doing push-ups is the simplest way to gauge your upper-body strength. So warm up with some jumping jacks or by jogging in place, then get down on your hands and knees, straighten your legs behind you, and place your hands directly beneath your shoulders, palms on the floor. Engage your abs, keeping your body in a straight line, as you lower your body toward the ground, ideally until your elbows are at a right angle; then, push yourself back up to the starting position. Count how many push-ups you can complete in 1 minute. When the time is up, compare your results to the following table to see where you rank within your age group. https://www.presidentschallenge.org/challenge/physical/benchmarks.shtml http://www.topendsports.com/
LOWER-BODY STRENGTH. To measure the strength and endurance of the muscles in your lower body, give yourself the squat test. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keep your weight over your heels (not the balls of your feet), and squat down until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, then lift your body and return to standing. (To make sure you’re maintaining good form, you can place a chair behind you and squat down until your butt almost touches the seat before returning to standing.) Count how many squats you can do in 1 minute, then compare your results to the following table.
ADVANCED LOWER-BODY STRENGTH. If you’re already fairly fit, the one-leg squat is a great way to test your true lower-body strength and your balance at the same time! It also may help identify imbalances between your left and right sides (most people are stronger on one side of their bodies, and that side tends to compensate for the other side while doing regular squats). To do a one-leg squat, stand on your right leg and lift your left foot a few inches off the floor with your left leg extended straight in front of you. Keep your abs tight as you lower your butt toward the floor as if you were going to sit down (you want at least a 45-degree angle on your standing leg), then stand straight up again. Do as many one-leg squats as you can in 1 minute on the right side, then switch to your left side for a minute. Then, compare your results to the following table, based on the number of squats you performed per minute.
| Excellent | > 21 |
| Above Average | 16–21 |
| Average | 10–15 |
| Below Average | 8–9 |
| Poor | 5–7 |
| Very Poor | < 5 |
FLEXIBILITY IN THE HAMSTRINGS AND LOWER BACK. Flexibility is an important part of overall fitness, and the sit-and-reach test will help you gauge your status in this area. To do it, remove your shoes and sit on the floor with your legs extended straight out in front of you, your feet about 12 inches apart. Place a yardstick on the floor and put a long piece of masking tape over the 15-inch mark, perpendicular to the yardstick. Place the yardstick between your legs with the 0-inch mark closest to your crotch. With your fingertips in contact with the yardstick, slowly stretch forward with both hands as far as you can go, noting where your fingertips land (to the closest inch). Sit up again then repeat the stretch two more times; record the best measurement, then compare your results to the following table.
| Inches | |
| Excellent | > +115 |
| Good | +8 to +115 |
| Above Average | +45 to +75 |
| Average | +5 to +4 |
A BALANCING ACT. Balance is a key component of fitness that can help you avoid injuries in everyday life and when you’re working out, so it’s worth working to improve yours. To test your balance, stand on your right leg with your right knee slightly bent and bend down to touch your right toes with your left hand, as you raise your left leg behind you a few inches. Return to the starting position without touching down with your left foot. Repeat this as many times as you can in 1 minute, then switch sides and test your left leg’s balance. Compare your touches-per-minute results with both legs to the following chart.
| Excellent | > 21 |
| Above Average | 16–21 |
| Average | 10–15 |
| Below Average | 8–9 |
| Poor | 5–7 |
| Very Poor | < 5 |
Read each question or statement carefully, then choose the answer that best describes your attitude or approach to that habit or issue (if two answers apply to you, mark them both and incorporate them in your total tally at the end). Be completely honest! No one else will see your responses, so you’re just lying to yourself if you fudge the truth.
1. Which of the following best describes your overall eating habits?
a) I eat when I’m hungry and skip meals when I’m not.
b) I eat regular meals and snacks on a set schedule throughout the day.
c) My eating habits are erratic at best.
2. How many servings of fruits and veggies do you eat on the average day?
a) 2 to 3
b) 5 to 7
c) 1 if I’m lucky
3. When you’re facing a difficult challenge—whether it’s training for a race, losing weight, or vying for a promotion at work—what kinds of thoughts typically run through your head?
a) I experience some self-doubt and try to tolerate it as best I can.
b) I try to pump up my confidence by reminding myself of my past successes and that I have what it takes to handle this hurdle.
c) I often become critical of myself and get discouraged.
4. How many hours of sleep do you get on a typical night?
a) Generally 5 to 6.
b) Usually 7 to 9 hours a night.
c) It varies widely depending on how busy I am.
5. When choosing what to eat, how do you frame your decisions?
a) I have whatever appeals to me at the moment.
b) I choose nutritious foods that will fuel my activities.
c) I grab whatever is convenient.
6. When your internal voice speaks up in your head—c’mon, we all have one!—who is she most likely to sound like?
a) Your mother—sometimes critical, sometimes loving and nurturing
b) Your best friend—kind, compassionate, and positive
c) Your (fren)enemy—someone who’s out to cut you down to size whenever she can
7. How many different colors of foods do you consume from Mother Nature’s rainbow (as in, fruits and vegetables) each day?
a) 2 or 3.
b) 4 or more.
c) 1; I like consistency.
8. When you’re totally stressed out, what are you most likely to do?
a) Call a friend and vent my frustrations.
b) Go for a walk or a jog, or meditate.
c) Turn to sweet comfort by raiding a coworker’s candy dish, the vending machine, or heading to a convenience store for a treat.
9. Which of the following is your primary source of protein?
a) Meat or poultry
b) A variety of meat, poultry, fish, and/or legumes, nuts, and seeds
c) Whatever is quick and accessible
10. How would you describe your snacking style?
a) I munch on whatever soothes my jangled nerves—and often eat too much.
b) I choose foods that will rejuvenate my energy or satiate my appetite until the next meal.
c) I grab whatever is handy.
11. How would you describe your attitude toward exercise?
a) I fit it in as often as possible, but blow it off when life gets really hectic.
b) Exercise is an essential part of my life; I couldn’t survive mentally or physically without it.
c) Halfhearted; I work out when I feel like it, not when I don’t.
12. Where do most of your dietary fats come from?
a) Animal products (meat, dairy, cheese)
b) Plant-based foods (including oils—olive, canola, and the like)
c) Fried foods (chips, french fries, burgers, etc.)
13. When you experience a setback while pursuing a goal, what are you most likely to do?
a) Take a break to soothe yourself before deciding whether to try again.
b) Think about how or where you went wrong and what you can do differently next time.
c) Give up, thinking you are clearly not cut out for this pursuit.
14. How do you generally feel about your body?
a) I’m fairly comfortable with it. But I’m definitely aware that there are areas that could be improved upon.
b) I feel very secure in my own skin and take pride in what my body can do.
c) I’m unhappy with it. It really doesn’t compare well to other women’s.
15. Which of the following best describes the way you conduct your life?
a) I believe that sometimes good enough really is good enough.
b) I generally go hard or go home; I tend to push myself to or past my limits.
c) I’m a creature of habit and tend to stay within my comfort zone.
Tally up the number of times you chose a, b, or c as your answer, then read the section that applies most frequently to you. If it’s a tie, read both sections; if it’s a three-way tie, read all three.
Mostly a’s: You’ve got self-awareness on your side and some good lifestyle habits to go with it. But sometimes you aren’t consistent with your eating, sleeping, or exercise patterns, or you don’t do what you (probably) know you should be doing when life throws resistance in your path. Try to become more conscious of the daily dietary, exercise, and other health-related choices you make. Also, make a concerted effort to start treating yourself with the TLC and compassion you’d show a close friend; this will make it easier to make and stick with positive changes.
Mostly b’s: You are inherently motivated and self-disciplined, and you enjoy pushing yourself physically while also taking good care of yourself mentally and emotionally. Keep up the good work! Just make sure you continue to take time to do things that will restore, recharge, and refresh your body and mind—as well as challenging them in all the right ways. After all, you’re aware of your limits, but you don’t always honor them. The program that follows will help you with all of this.
Mostly c’s: It seems you stick with the familiar (even when it’s not working for you) or you feel too overwhelmed to change your habits. Granted, you get points for admitting the truth—and by picking up this book you’ve already taken the first step toward improving your health and your strength, inside and out. Heed the dietary and fitness advice and the game-changing attitude adjustments that appear on the following pages and you’ll be on your way to becoming the stronger, fitter, healthier you you’ve always wanted to be.