IELTS Speaking Part 1: Health & Fitness Band 9 Sample Answers (2026)

The topic of Health is a standard Part 1 topic. It often appears as a follow-up to questions about your Work or Study, asking how your daily routine affects your physical wellbeing.

Many students think they must lie and say they "go jogging every morning" to get a high score. This is not true. You can get a Band 9 by honestly describing an unhealthy lifestyle, provided you use the correct medical and descriptive vocabulary.

How to Use These Sample Answers

Below is a list of the latest 2026 questions for the "Health & Fitness" topic.

Important: The sample answers below are written from the perspective of a "Stressed Office Worker."

This person has a sedentary job, eats too much fast food because they are busy, and struggles to find time for the gym. This is a very relatable persona for many professionals.

If you are a Gym Rat who lifts weights daily, or a Vegan who is strict about diet, these answers won't fit you.

So, here is the plan:

1. Read these samples to understand what a Band 9 answer looks like.

2. Use the IELTS Speaking Lab App to get personalized answers. It gives you Band 7+ vocabulary that is relevant to your real habits—whether they are healthy or not.

Part 1: Health & Fitness Questions & Model Answers

1. Do you have a healthy lifestyle?

Honestly, not really. I try my best, but I have a very sedentary lifestyle because of my job. I sit in front of a computer for 8 to 10 hours a day, which causes me a lot of back pain and stiffness.

2. What do you do to stay fit?

I have a gym membership, but I rarely use it. I mostly rely on intermittent fasting to keep my weight down because I don't have the energy for vigorous exercise. I try to take the stairs instead of the elevator, but that is about the extent of my cardio.

3. Do you avoid any specific foods?

I try to avoid processed foods, but it is difficult when I am working late. I often end up ordering takeout because I’m too exhausted to cook a nutritious meal. I have a real weakness for sugary snacks when I am stressed.

4. How many hours do you sleep at night?

Not enough. I suffer from mild insomnia because I can’t switch my brain off after work. I usually get about 5 or 6 hours of broken sleep, so I rely heavily on caffeine to function the next day.

5. Do you like sports?

I enjoy watching sports, but I’m not very athletic myself. I am what you would call a couch potato. On weekends, I prefer to watch football on TV rather than actually playing it.

6. Did you do any sports as a child?

Yes, back when I was a student, I was quite active. I played on the school basketball team and had a very high metabolism. It’s a shame I let that habit slide as I got older and busier.

7. Is it important to eat healthy food?

Absolutely. You are what you eat. I know that a balanced diet is crucial for your immune system and mental clarity. I notice a huge drop in my productivity levels when I eat junk food, yet I still do it out of convenience.

8. What is your favorite way to relax?

I usually just binge-watch TV series. However, the best way to truly relax is to go on a holiday. When I travel, I can finally disconnect from the internet and get some fresh air, which does wonders for my mental health.

9. Do you think you will be healthier in the future?

I hope so. My plan is to fix my work-life balance so I have more time to cook and exercise. I don't want to burn out before I'm 40, so I need to prioritize my wellbeing more than my career soon.

10. How do you deal with stress?

Probably not in the best way. I tend to stress-eat or scroll through social media, which actually makes me more anxious. I know I should do yoga or meditation to lower my cortisol levels, but I find it hard to sit still and clear my mind.

11. Do people in your country exercise enough?

I don't think so. Obesity is becoming a major issue here because of modern conveniences. Most people drive everywhere and eat fast food. However, there is a growing trend of young people joining fitness clubs and focusing on aesthetics.

12. When was the last time you went for a check-up?

I went for my annual check-up about six months ago. The doctor told me my blood pressure was slightly elevated due to stress, which was a wake-up call. I’ve been trying to reduce my salt intake since then.

13. Do you prefer indoor or outdoor exercise?

If I have to exercise, I prefer doing it indoors with air conditioning. I hate sweating in the heat. A treadmill in a cool gym is much more appealing to me than running in a park, especially in summer.

14. What is the most popular sport in your country?

Football is definitely the national obsession. Even people who are completely out of shape will scream at the TV during the World Cup. It brings people together, even if they aren't physically active themselves.

15. Is health education important in schools?

Yes, it is vital. Children need to learn about nutrition and the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle early on. If they form bad habits young, like getting addicted to sugar, it is incredibly hard to break those habits in adulthood.

Key Vocabulary from the Answers

Here is the complete glossary of every bolded word and phrase used in the answers above.

• Annual check-up: A yearly medical examination by a doctor.

• Back pain: Physical discomfort in the spine or back muscles, common in office jobs.

• Balanced diet: A diet that contains the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

• Blood pressure: The pressure of the blood in the circulatory system (high blood pressure is often linked to stress).

• Broken sleep: Sleep that is frequently interrupted; not continuous.

• Cortisol levels: The amount of stress hormone in the body.

• Couch potato: A person who takes little or no exercise and watches a lot of television.

• Fitness clubs: Gyms or centers for physical exercise.

• Insomnia: Habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep.

• Intermittent fasting: An eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.

• Mental health: A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.

• Metabolism: The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life (high metabolism burns fat faster).

• Nutrition: The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.

• Obesity: The state of being grossly fat or overweight.

• Out of shape: Not physically fit.

• Processed foods: Foods that have been altered from their natural state (often unhealthy).

• Productivity: The state or quality of producing something (often affected by health).

• Sedentary lifestyle: A type of lifestyle with little or no physical activity.

• Stress-eat: To eat food in response to stress, especially when not hungry.

• Sugary snacks: Food with high sugar content (candy, chocolate).

• Vigorous exercise: Physical activity that requires a lot of effort and energy.

• Wellbeing: The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

• Work-life balance: The division of one's time and focus between working and family or leisure activities.

Create Your Own Band 9 Answers

The answers above are great—if you are a "Stressed Office Worker."

But what if you are a Personal Trainer? Or a Medical Student? Or a Vegan?

You cannot use the answers above. You need vocabulary that fits your truth.

IELTS Speaking Lab helps you turn your real ideas into Band 9 answers.

1. Select your topic (e.g., Health, Work, Study).

2. Input your rough idea (e.g., "I love yoga and eating organic food").

3. Get a personalized Band 9 answer instantly, with the perfect vocabulary for your habits.

Start Generating Your Personal Answers Now →