The recommended amount of exercise per day varies depending on your age, fitness level, and goals. However, most health organizations recommend aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week. This could include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing.
If you want to lose weight, keep off lost weight, or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more than 30 minutes per day. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both. This translates to about 21 to 43 minutes of exercise per day.
It's important to note that even a small amount of exercise is better than none at all. If you can't manage 30 minutes of exercise all at once, break it up into shorter sessions throughout the day. For example, you could take a 10-minute walk in the morning, another 10 minutes at lunch, and a final 10 minutes in the evening.
Here are some additional tips for getting enough exercise:
- Find activities you enjoy. If you don't enjoy your exercise, you're less likely to stick with it. Experiment with different activities until you find ones that you like.
- Make it a habit. Schedule time for exercise into your day, just like you would any other important appointment.
- Start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. If you're new to exercise, start with 10 minutes of activity per day and gradually increase the amount of time and intensity.
- Listen to your body. If you're feeling pain, stop and rest. It's important to avoid injury.
