1.1 Understanding lifestyles
What is meant by the term ‘lifestyle’?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines lifestyle as:
A style or way of living (associated with an individual person, a society, etc.); esp. the characteristic manner in which a person lives (or chooses to live) his or her life.
This definition suggests that lifestyle is closely linked to an individual’s choices, habits and behaviours. However, viewing lifestyle solely as a matter of personal choice can be problematic. It raises important questions about the extent to which our behaviours are freely chosen, and the extent to which they are shaped by factors beyond our control. These factors may include characteristics we are born with (innate traits), as well as social, cultural, economic and environmental influences. As a result, it is not always easy to distinguish between what is a genuine choice and what is influenced by circumstances over which a person has little or no control. Very few people will have the ‘ideal healthy lifestyle’. Instead, most have aspects of their lifestyle that are healthy and others that are less healthy. The next activity asks you to consider certain lifestyle factors to help you make sense of key aspects of your own behaviours related to health and wellbeing.
Activity 1 Describing your own lifestyle
Part 1
Looking at the list of behaviours below, click the button that best describes how frequently you carry out that behaviour.
(If it helps, think about their applicability over the last month.)
Discussion
The eight behaviours you have considered are not an exhaustive list, but represent some of the key factors thought to be relevant to a healthy lifestyle. For instance:
Each week, adults should accumulate at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of moderate intensity activity (such as brisk walking or cycling); or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity (such as running); or even shorter durations of very vigorous intensity activity (such as sprinting or stair climbing); or a combination of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity.
Part 2
Pick one of the lifestyle factors from Part 1 that you find easy to maintain as part of your lifestyle. Summarise why you find it easy in the box below.
(For example, if you are currently a non-smoker and find this easy to maintain, why is this?)
Discussion
Here’s an example response:
We have a dog, so I get out walking every day and also use parks and green spaces often. I wonder if I would find this as easy if we didn’t have the dog. I imagine I’d find it harder to motivate myself to get out in the cold and wet weather.
Pick one of the lifestyle factors from Part 1 that you find difficult to change, and summarise why that is.
(For example, if you spend a lot of time being sedentary and sitting for long periods, why is it challenging to be more active?)
Discussion
You may find some lifestyle factors easy to change, while others are more difficult.
Here’s an example response:
I sit for long periods every day due to my job. This worries me and I would like to be more active but with work and a young family I don’t find it easy to build exercise into my day. Often the only physical exercise I get is walking the children to school.
OpenLearn - Healthy living and choice (title tbc)
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