Ideally, an adult should aim at anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity a day.
To stay healthy, an adult should aim to exercise between four and seven days each week:
- 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as rapid walking or cross-country skiing, or
- 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity, such as hiking (expert trails) or soccer, or
- at least 60 minutes of low-intensity activity, such as walking or yoga.
The total amount of time may be broken down in periods of not less than 10 minutes each. However, the longer the period of physical activity, the more beneficial it is to your health.
Physical activity and a healthy weight
Physical activity requires energy from your body. This energy is also called calories. Very intense activities burn more calories in a shorter time span than low-intensity activities.
Balancing your energy intake from nutrition with the energy you use to perform your daily activities is important in maintaining a healthy weight. Your body stores excess calories as fat and this results in additional body weight. If your level of physical activity is reduced, your nutrition should also be adjusted accordingly.
Becoming active can be easy!
- Even a mild increase in your physical activity level will provide some health benefits. The benefits are most pronounced if you were physically inactive or not very active before.
- Easy does it! The transition from physical inactivity to being active must be gradual.
- To reduce the risk of injury, take time to warm up and stretch your muscles before engaging at full throttle!
- Accumulating 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week is a good target. This less intense objective will help you build physical activity into your daily routine more easily.
- Never continue an activity or exercise if you feel persistent or severe muscle or joint pain, chest pain or if you become exhausted. If pain persists or if you experience chest pain, you should consult a physician.