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Personal Fitness�Merit Badge

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PHYSICAL EXAMINATION &�PREVENTIVE HABITS

Requirement 1a

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The Physical Examination

Most doctors’ offices have you or your parents fill out a personal and medical questionnaire.

It asks about diseases you or your family members have had; about allergic reactions and about any medicines you take.

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What will they ask you?

Your Primary Care Provider (doctor, nurse, or physician’s assistant) may ask about:

Your mental and social well-being.
Your school performance.
Your family circumstances.
Your nutritional habits.
Your physical activity.

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What’s included in a physical?

Objective, comprehensive examinations include:

Measurements of height and weight, heart rate, blood pressure, heart and lung sounds.
Developmental milestones.
Examination of EENT.
Testing of your reflexes, strength, sensation.
Mental status evaluation.

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Why is a physical exam important?

Doctors screen for any diseases or abnormalities that could lead to health problems in the future.
You’re able to receive immunizations and vaccinations.
Your healthcare provider will ensure your diet and exercise routine will keep you healthy in the coming year.

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Primary Prevention

Preventive habits help reduce your risk of health problems later in life.
Harmful habits can counteract the benefits of preventable habits and negatively affect your personal fitness.

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Preventive Habits

Some examples include:

Good personal hygiene.
Regular cardiovascular exercise.
Eat a healthy diet based on MyPlate guidelines.
Avoid tobacco, recreational drug, and alcohol use.
Getting 7+ hours of sleep at night.

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Why preventive habits help

Preventive habits help you live better and longer.

Why would these habits help?
Why would you want to start these habits in childhood?
What would happen if you do not create healthy habits?

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What are some preventable diseases?

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD):

Chicken pox, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rubella, pertussis, tetanus, meningitis, polio, mumps, measles, streptococcal infection, influenza.

Those prevented by good health habits:

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), other sexually transmitted diseases, rheumatic fever, colds

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Harmful Habits

Some examples include:

Tobacco use.
Alcohol use.
Other harmful substance use: crack, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD, steroids, amphetamines.
Obesity.
Poor exercise habits.

Tobacco Use: Smoking or chewing tobacco products can damage your teeth and gums. Inhaling any sort of smoke will damage your lungs over time and increase your risks of lung cancer or respiratory disease. Habitual smoking will make it more difficult to breathe and regularly exercise.

Alcohol Use: Overconsumption of alcohol will damage your liver and cause problems with your heart. Frequent drinking is connected to rapid weight gain and obesity. Long term abuse of alcohol can even lead to cancer, damaged organs, and mental decline.

Drugs: addictive, poor judgement, mental disturbances, overdose can cause death/disability

Obesity: People considered obese are at a higher risk for many serious health conditions such as cancer, stroke, and heart disease. It’s much more difficult to lose weight once obese, so eat a balanced diet and avoid unhealthy foods.

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What are the Youth Risk Factors that affect Cardiovascular Disease in Adulthood?

Exercise
Diet
Sleep
Mental health
Drug use
Genetics
Vaccination
Medical/dental care

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What are the seven danger signs of cancer?

New lumps found anywhere on your body.
Unusual bleeding or discharge.
Sores that don’t heal or are growing.
Changes in bowel habits. Blood in urine or stool.
Coughing that will not go away after 1 month.
Changes in mole patterns or large moles.
Difficulty swallowing or a feeling of pressure in the chest or throat.

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DENTAL EXAMINATIONS

Requirement 1b

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How do you care for your teeth?

Dental care best practices:

Eat a nutritious diet with limited sugars and sweets.
Brush teeth twice a day.
Brush away from gums.
Toothbrushes should have firm but not hard bristles.
Use toothpaste or supplements with fluoride.
Floss at least once a day.

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WHAT IS PERSONAL FITNESS

Requirement 2

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What is Personal Fitness?

Personal Fitness is not the same as Physical Fitness.
Personal fitness is the sum of mental, physical, social, and spiritual fitness.
All areas need to be maintained in order to be the best, most fit, version of ourselves.

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Physically Healthy

Good physically healthy habits include:

Participating in regular exercise
Eating a good diet
Having good hygiene skills
Being able to enjoy exercise
Participating in physical activities without being held back by bodily limitations

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Spiritually Healthy

Good spiritually healthy habits include:

Connect with your faith community
Participate in religious ceremonies and activities
Volunteer or help others
Spend time in nature
Develop a purpose in life
Spend time alone in reflection or meditation

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Socially Healthy

Good socially healthy habits include:

Being comfortable relating with others.
Good communication skills
Being a good listener
Extend yourself in an open and engaging way
Establish good boundaries
Do not use peer pressure on others
Do not succumb to peer pressure

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Mentally Healthy

Good mentally healthy habits include:

Working to understand the world around you
Be aware of your feelings and emotions
Be a good friend and good family member
Express your feelings to your friends and family
Build a positive outlook
Ask for help if you need help

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Is everyone the same?

Personal fitness is different for everyone.
Your level of Personal Fitness is determined by your level of all 4 components.
All 4 components interact; so, neglecting one will affect the others.
High levels of one component will likewise affect the others.

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Nutrition

If your body does not get the nutrients it needs, it will not function at its best.

Poor nutrition can lead to fatigue, lack of energy, slow healing of injuries, dehydration, weight loss, fat build up.

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DISCUSSION TOPICS

Requirement 3

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Discussion

Are you living in such a way that your risk of preventable diseases is minimized?

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Discussion

Are you immunized and vaccinated according to the advice of your health-care provider and the direction of your parent(s)/guardian(s)?

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Discussion

Are you free from habits relating to poor nutrition and the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other practices that could be harmful to your health?

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Discussion

Define a nutritious, balanced diet and why it is important.

MyPlate guidelines.
A healthy diet throughout life promotes healthy outcomes, supports normal growth, development and ageing, helps to maintain a healthy body weight, and reduces the risk of chronic disease leading to overall health and wellbeing.

Fruits: Examples of fruits include apples, pears, bananas, strawberries, grapes. For boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 18, it’s recommended that you consume 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruits per day. This is usually done in three servings that are each 1/2 cup. A single banana or apple is roughly equal to one cup of fruit.

Vegetables: Examples of vegetables include broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, peas, and celery. You should eat as wide a variety of vegetable colors as possible. For boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 18, it’s recommended to consume 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day. About 12 baby carrots, one ear of corn, or three spears of broccoli will equal a cup of vegetables.

Grains: Examples of grains include rice, breads, oatmeal, tortillas, or quinoa. It’s recommended that boys and girls between 14 and 18 years old consume 6 and 8 ounces of grains per day, respectively. An ounce of grains can take the form of a regular slice of bread, five whole wheat crackers, or one packet of oatmeal.

Proteins: Examples of proteins include meats, poultry, eggs, nuts, and beans. It’s recommended that girls ages 14-18 consume 5 ounces of proteins per day, whereas boys 14-18 consume 6 1/2 ounces of proteins per day. An ounce of protein can take the form of a small chicken breast, one can of tuna, or one cup of lentil soup.

Dairy: Examples of foods containing dairy include milk, yogurt, cheese, soy milk, and creams. It’s recommended that both boys and girls 14-18 years old consume 3 cups of dairy. There’s been some recent research done that indicates people shouldn’t be consuming too much dairy. Do your own research and avoid consuming dairy that’s high in saturated fats and sugars.

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Discussion

What are the advantages to getting a full night’s sleep?

Reduces the risks of heart disease, improve brain activity, and lower stress.
Without a full night’s sleep, people are more prone to forgetfulness, mistakes, and irritability.
Sleep can help your body to recover and help you to better recall information you’ve learned.

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Discussion

Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational activities?

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Discussion

What are you doing to demonstrate your duty to God?

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Discussion

Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social and recreational activities?

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Discussion

Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good home life?

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PHYSICAL FITNESS

Requirement 4

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Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness is being able to do vigorous physical work without getting to tired and still having energy to do normal daily things.

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Five Areas of Physical Fitness

There are 5 main areas of physical fitness:

Cardiorespiratory fitness
Muscular strength
Muscular endurance
Flexibility
Body composition

Cardiorespiratory Fitness: This can also be called cardiovascular fitness, but relates to the fitness of your heart and lungs. To improve cardiorespiratory fitness, engage in activities that get your heart pumping and blood flowing.��Activities like running, jumping rope, or swimming will help to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness. This, in turn, will lead to lower blood pressure, reduced stress, increased energy, and improved sleep. ��

Muscular Strength: Muscular strength is your body‘s ability to exert a maximal force using your muscles. The most common way of testing muscular strength is by lifting weights.��A common weightlifting routine is to work out a muscle group by performing 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions. Through progressive overload, over time, your muscles will become stronger.��

Muscular Endurance: Muscular endurance is your body‘s ability to exert force from your muscles over a period of time. To train muscular endurance, most athletes lift lighter weights for a greater number of repetitions — typically 12-16. Unlike training muscular strength, muscular endurance work allows for little rest between each exercise.��

Flexibility: Flexibility is your body‘s ability to go through its full range of motion. By stretching and working to loosen your joints, you’ll improve your flexibility and reduce risks of injury. Classes like Yoga or Pilates can help you improve your flexibility over time. Remaining flexible as you age will help you to avoid soreness and cramps.��

Body Composition: Your body is mainly made up of bones, muscle, and fat. Body composition will help you to understand what percentage of your overall weight is from fat.��High body fat percentages are linked to numerous health problems including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. To improve your body’s composition, eat a healthy diet. Reduce your consumption of fats and sugars, and try to drink more water.

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Discussion

What is your weakest and strongest areas of physical fitness?

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Why is it important to have balance among these elements?

Being balanced will help you to be prepared for a wide variety of physical challenges.
A Scout lacking in any one of these four areas will have difficulty supporting their troop.
In survival situations you should have endurance (cardiorespiratory fitness), power (muscular strength/endurance), be in good overall health (body composition), and able to react quickly while staying limber (flexibility).

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Physical Fitness Programs

President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition aims to promote physical activity and participation in sports.
ScoutStrong is a BSA program aimed at helping Scouts become physically fit.
These program help people develop daily activity goals, commit to healthy dietary practices, and participate in fun, active, programs.

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Personal Fitness �and the Scout Oath

According to the Scout Oath, to do your duty to God and your country you’ll need to be physically capable.
By building a strong body, you’ll be able to help others and give back to your community.
If an emergency were ever to occur, being physically fit will also help you to respond quickly and effectively.

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Personal Fitness �and the Scout Law

Personal fitness will also help you to carry out each of the points of the Scout Law.
Having a strong body will make you more confident and willing to stand up for the right values.

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NUTRITION

Requirment 5

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The importance of good nutrition

Practicing good nutrition is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle.
By thoughtfully choosing the foods you put into your body, you’ll look better, think more clearly, and have more energy.
You’ll also avoid health problems caused by poor eating habits.

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What is good nutrition?

Good nutrition can include:

Following MyPlate guidelines for meals and balancing vegetables and fruits, grains, dairy, and meat and legumes.
Eating at least 4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Limit sugary foods, processed foods, and soda.
Drink at least 2 liters of water a day.

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Good nutrition and personal fitness

There is evidence that integrating both nutrition and physical activity produces greater benefits than focusing on one or the other.
Consuming adequate amounts of macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, and fat—to fuel our bodies is imperative for optimal exercise performance.

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Components of a Weight Control Program

You can maintain your weight by consuming the same amount of calories that you burn each day. For most people, this number is around 2000.
To lose weight, eat fewer calories. To gain weight, eat more.
Follow MyPlate guidelines, eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and avoid processed foods.
Try to make sure that the calories you’re consuming come from more than just fats and sugars.

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FITNESS TESTS

Requirement 6

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Fitness Test

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Nutrition Tracking

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12-WEEK PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM

Requirement 7

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Physical Fitness Program

Create a plan that improves your cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.
Exercise 2-4 times each week for at least 20-30 minutes.
Consider increasing the difficulty as you become stronger and more fit.
Tailor your exercises to the BSA fitness test, as you’ll be working to improve your scores over time.
Complete the fitness test every 4 weeks to monitor progress.

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Physical Fitness Program

Warm-up
Aerobic exercise
Strength exercises
Flexibility exercises
Cool-down

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Warm Up

BSA recommends that you warm up before every workout with several minutes of low-intensity movement.
Examples: walking, jogging, jumping rope, or jumping jacks.
Following this low-intensity warm-up, you should briefly use dynamic stretching and loosen your muscles.
Dynamic stretching is movement based and the positions are not held.

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Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic activities can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness which will lead to more energy and better health.
To improve cardiorespiratory fitness, engage in aerobic activities that get your heart pumping and blood flowing.
Examples: Running for 2 or more miles, swimming for 15-30 minutes, jumping rope for 10 minutes, and sprint distances of 200 and 800 meters.

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Muscular Strength and Endurance

Muscular strength is the ability of your muscles to contract and exert force against an opposing force.
Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to contract repeatedly or hold a contraction against an opposing force.
When training your muscular strength and endurance, a good rule of thumb is to do 80% of your maximum amount of the exercise for 3 sets. This means that if you can do 10 pushups at most, you’ll do 8 pushups 3 times with breaks in-between each set.
Examples: Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, bicep curls, burpees, and weightlifting (with supervision).

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Flexibility Exercises

Flexibility is defined as a joint’s range of motion.
Stretching is an important part of the warm-up and cool-down process. Stretch during warm up and again at the end of your exercises.
Examples: Touching your toes, lunges, butterfly stretches, quad stretches, neck rotations, and shoulder stretches.

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Cool Down Exercises

When warming up before a workout, we focus on dynamic stretching.
After your workout is done, holding static stretches is the best way to release tension in the muscles and help the body recover.

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Sample Program

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Keeping Track

Outline a 12-week physical fitness program for yourself using the results of your fitness tests.
Be sure to include endurance, intensity and warm up guidelines.
Get the program approved before starting.

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COMPLETE THE PROGRAM

Requirement 8

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Fitness Program Requirements

Complete the physical fitness program you outlined in Requirement 7.
Keep a log of your fitness program activity.
Keep a log of your weekly healthy eating goals.
Repeat the aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility tests every four weeks and record your results.
After the 12th week, repeat all of the required activities in each of the three test categories, record your results, and show improvement in each one.
Discuss the results with your counselor.

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Requirement 9

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Personal Fitness Careers

Lifeguard
Physical therapist
Personal trainer
Sports medicine physician or nurse
Physical education teacher
Dietician
Fitness instructor

Personal Trainers

Personal trainers help to increase their clients’ overall levels of fitness. They’re tasked with prescribing exercise plans, motivating clients, and providing feedback. To become a personal trainer you’ll need to be accredited, meaning that you’ll need to receive a certification that proves your competency.

Before being accredited, most personal trainers also earn a bachelor’s degree in a field like physiology or kinesiology. Working as a personal trainer will allow you to meet different clients and help people one-on-one. Once you’ve gained experience as a personal trainer, you can move into an area of expertise and help people with specific fitness problems. Doing so will differentiate your services, allowing you to charge more per client!

Physical Education Teachers

I’m sure you’ve taken a PE class at school! A physical education teacher must create a curriculum to teach their students about health and fitness. They’re also tasked with supervising activities and making sure that no one gets hurt. To be hired for the position, most PE teachers need at least a bachelor’s degree in either education or a fitness-related field. They should also have a strong knowledge of teaching methods, and a desire to work with young people.

Dietitians

A dietitian is an expert in human nutrition and diet. These individuals provide consultations and often work with medical clinics, community wellness programs, or food-service groups. Unlike nutritionists, dietitians require a degree and healthcare license to operate. To become a dietitian you’ll need to attend a university to study health and nutrition. You’ll also need to complete internships with a registered health organization. Afterward, students must complete an examination to become a registered dietitian.

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Personal Fitness Careers

Pick one career and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession.
Discuss what you learned with your counselor and explain why this profession might interest you.