IELTS speaking topic “Health” is a very common topic in the IELTS test.
Describe a healthy lifestyle that you know
You should say:
- What is this?
- How do you know it?
- When do you do it?
- An explain why you think it is healthy
Sample Answer
Well, in reality, there are many ways to stay healthy and keep fit. The one lifestyle that I find easiest to follow is to eat clean. I found out about this way of life through social media platforms in 2018 because people were crazy about it back then.
First, let me explain the term – “eat clean”. When you eat something clean, the food is organic and less processed. In other words, this lifestyle keeps you away from added sugar, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours. The interesting thing about “eat clean” is that it does not require you to reduce your food intake BUT your calorie intake.
There are many kinds of food that meet this criterion such as eggs, broccoli and berries with high amounts of nutrients but no excess calories. Therefore, if I eat clean, I will not feel under the weather compared to having a very strict diet.
Now, I need to make it clear that this is not a diet but a way of life. Leading a “clean” lifestyle like this also means maintaining a positive mindset and loving yourself. It does not create a feeling of pressure to starve yourself but is more about how you pay attention and give your body what it really needs.
There are hundreds of fitness articles and magazines talking about how it is beneficial for your body and even your mental health. Basically because when you eat clean, you cut down on all the unfavourable ingredients and elements, for example, sweeteners which create a greater risk of health issues like obesity.
In addition to a healthier body and diet, eating nutrient-dense food as I mentioned is an effective method to lose weight and get into shape but still stay energized.
I used to eat clean daily by buying local ingredients and cooking at home. But now, I have a heavy workload so I just do it from time to time. I hope that this lifestyle can be adopted by everybody so that we can all have better health.
Speaking Part 3: Follow Question
1. What are the most popular ways of keeping healthy in your country?
It depends much on age and personal preferences. For youngsters like me, we often go to the gym and play team sports such as football that require more energy and physical strength. Meanwhile, older people are into doing relaxing sports like yoga or pilates.
2. Why do you think some people continue bad habits when they know that they are damaging to their health?
I think the obvious reason is that quitting these habits requires a lot of time and effort. Some people just lack consistency and determination. However, there are objective reasons as well. For example, when it comes to fast food and unhealthy snacks, the temptation created by adverts can drive people to eat them over and over again.
And lastly, people can actually be addicted to the sugar in this unhealthy food.
3. How can people be encouraged to stay healthy?
From my point of view, the unhealthy lifestyles that people have are the result of inadequate health awareness. Therefore, the first step could be creating educational campaigns to widen people’s knowledge about this area. The government and local authorities can also motivate people to exercise by providing public sports facilities and sponsoring sports events.
4. Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?
Yes, especially after the long period of Covid-19. Although people now have longer average lifespans compared to the past, there is still a number of health problems that put them at risk. Firstly, the booming economy around the world is an underlying reason for poor environmental conditions that lead to serious diseases such as cancer.
Secondly, I haven’t even mentioned other mental illnesses, for example, depression which is becoming more and more common. These mental issues are way harder to deal with in comparison with physical ones. As a consequence, you can find many articles and magazines that are specialized in this subject.
