Many people worry about gaining weight, but the key to maintaining a healthy weight is paying attention to what we put into our bodies. Take the quiz below and decide for yourself if you’re treating your body right.

Write down your corresponding scores seen on the right of the statements, add them all up, then consult the results at the end of the quiz.

1. Ready or microwaveable meals

a. I rarely eat ready meals 3
b. I eat ready meals once or twice a month 2
c. I eat ready meals once or twice a week 1
d. I eat ready meals more than twice a week 0

2. Desserts

a. I usually do not have desserts, though, if I feel like something sweet 3

I would have a piece of fresh fruit.
b. I sometimes have a fruit bar or something small 2
c. I sometimes have sweet desserts, (pies, cakes, ice cream etc) but not as a rule 1
d. I usually have a sweet dessert (pies, cakes, ice cream etc) 0

3. Snacks

a. I prefer fruit or nuts or seeds for a snack 3
b. I have a breakfast/fruit bar for a snack 2
c. I usually have a small piece of chocolate for my snack 1
d. I have crisps, biscuits (cookies) or a chocolate bar for a snack 0

4. Grains and pasta

a. I always have brown rice and wholemeal breads and pastas 3
b. I sometimes have white grains and pasta, but not as a rule 2
c. I have white breads and white rice, but I eat a lot of potatoes and whole cereals 1
d. I have only white breads, pasta and rice 0

5. Fruit and vegetables.

a. I have 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day 3
b. I have about 3 servings of fruit and vegetables a day 2
c. I have 1 or 2 servings of fruit and vegetables a day 1
d. I hardly ever have fruit and vegetables, I don’t really like them 0

6. Exercise

a. I have a regular exercise schedule which I stick to 3
b. I do not have a regular exercise schedule, but I make a special effort to

exercise whenever I can 2
c. I don’t often think about exercise, I have a somewhat physically exhaustive lifestyle/job 1
d. I never exercise, I hate it 0

7. Cigarettes

a. I do not smoke 3
b. I do not smoke, but spend a lot of time with people who do 2
c. I occasionally smoke 1
d. I am a smoker 0

8. Alcohol

a. I occasionally drink, but never get drunk as I am a responsible drinker 3
b. I don’t drink often, but I sometimes have a bit too much when I do 2
c. I often get drunk. 1
d. Life is for enjoying, I regularly binge drink with the intention of getting as
drunk as I can 0

9. Stress

a. Of course life is stressful, but I have worked out ways to unwind 3
b. I sometimes get stressed and it takes a while before I can unwind 2
c. I am a tightly wound person and it’s easy for me to get stressed, but I

sometimes am able to put my feet up 1
d. My life is always on the go, what time is there left for me to stop and de-stress 0

Result

25 or more means that you have got your health in the palm of your hands, right where you want it. You do all you can to lead a healthy lifestyle and your quality of life is very valuable to you.

16 to 25 means that although you’re heading in the right direction, you need to pay some attention to the other aspects of your health, in order to stave off health complications in the future. If you have children, they may be copying you and some of the examples you’re setting in the health choices you’ve made, may not be to ones you’ve set out to pass on to them.

A score of under 16 means that you have a long way to go. The health choices you’ve made will cause you to spend a lot of money and time in the future trying to repair the damages you’re now doing to your body. There is a lot of work to be done.

Anne Lyken-Garner is a contributing writer for Fabulously40 , Youth Project Worker, Writer, Television Support Actress & Occasional model.

To find more of Anne’s work visit her blogspot