• You haven’t exercised in a long time
• You are over the age of 40
• You have a medical condition

Your doctor can also help you determine realistic fitness goals.

Knowing your current fitness level will help you design a program that isn’t so difficult that it causes injury or frustration, or so easy that it fails to meet your needs. Completing an Activity Assessment will give you a sense of where you are now and how to begin.

Physical Activity Assessment
Which of the following best describes your general activity level for the previous month?

I do not participate regularly in programmed recreation, sport or heavy physical activity:

  Â	0	Â	Avoid walking or exertion, e.g., always use elevator, drive whenever possible instead of walking.
  Â	1	Â	Walk for pleasure, routinely use stairs, occasionally exercise sufficiently to cause heavy breathing or perspiration.

I participate regularly in recreation or work requiring modest physical activity, such as golf, horseback riding, calisthenics, gymnastics, table tennis, bowling, weight lifting and yard work.

  Â	2		10 to 60 minutes per week
  Â	3		More than one hour per week

I participate regularly in heavy physical exercise, such as running or jogging, swimming, cycling, rowing, skipping rope, running in place or engaging in vigorous aerobic activity type exercise, such as tennis basketball or handball.

 Â	4		Run less than one mile per week or spend less than 30 minutes per week in comparable physical activity
 Â	5		Run 1-5 miles per week or spend 30 to 60 minutes per week in comparable physical activity
 Â	6		Run 5 to 10 miles per week or spend 1 to 3 hours per week in comparable physical activity
 Â	7		Run more than 10 miles per week or spend 3 hours per week in comparable physical activity

Assessment
If you select 0 to 3, start your exercise program with about 10 minutes of continuous activity each session. If you select 4 or above, try to exercise for 30 minutes or more each session.