Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It improves overall health and fitness and lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. Here is how much activity experts recommend.
Adults
Aerobic activity each week — one of:
- 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity
- 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity
- a combination of the two
Strengthening activity on two or more days a week.
| What it feels like | |
|---|---|
| Moderate | you can say a few words in a row, but not sing |
| Vigorous | you can’t say more than a few words without stopping for breath |
Aerobic activities include fast walking, jogging, swimming and biking. Strengthening activities include lifting weights, exercise bands, sit-ups and push-ups — choose ones that work the legs, hips, back, chest, stomach, shoulders and arms.
Tips:
- Spread it out over several days rather than one or two.
- Short bursts count. If you lack long blocks of time, break exercise into chunks; even small amounts help.
- For strength exercises, repeat each movement 8 to 12 times, working up to 2 or 3 rounds as you get stronger.
Older adults
A mix of aerobic, strength and balance training helps. Balance exercises such as walking heel-to-toe or standing on one leg may improve stability and prevent falls. Check with a health care provider first about the right type and amount for your fitness and health.
Preschoolers (ages 3–5)
Young children should be active throughout the day for growth and development, with both structured play (directed by an adult, like a sport or game) and unstructured play (creative free play, like a playground), and a variety of activities.
Children and teens
60 minutes or more every day, mostly moderate aerobic activity suited to the child’s age and development — walking, running, skipping, playground play, basketball, biking. Within that hour, on at least 3 days a week each, include:
- vigorous activity — running, jumping jacks, fast swimming
- muscle-strengthening — playground equipment, tug-of-war, push-ups and pull-ups
- bone-strengthening — hopping, skipping, jumping jacks, volleyball, resistance bands
Special situations
- Older adults, pregnant women and people with disabilities or chronic health problems should ask their provider how much and what kind of activity is right.
- To lose weight, you may need more activity, plus diet changes so you burn more calories than you take in.
- If you’ve been inactive, start slowly and build up gradually.
Some activity is always better than none — even small increases benefit your health.
Sources
Based on "How Much Exercise Do I Need?", MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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