The recommended amount of exercise per week for adults aged 19 to 64 is at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity.
Understanding Exercise Intensity
It's important to understand what constitutes moderate and vigorous intensity activity:
- Moderate Intensity: Activities that make you breathe faster and your heart rate increase, such as brisk walking, cycling at a moderate pace, or water aerobics.
- Vigorous Intensity: Activities that make you breathe hard and fast and significantly raise your heart rate, such as running, swimming fast, or playing sports like football.
Weekly Exercise Breakdown
It is advisable to spread your exercise throughout the week rather than doing it all at once. The NHS guidelines suggest:
- Spread exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day.
- Aim to reduce the time spent sitting or lying down.
- Break up long periods of not moving with some activity.
Here's a table summarizing the guidelines:
| Exercise Intensity | Weekly Time | Spread |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | 150 minutes | 4-5 days or every day |
| Vigorous | 75 minutes | 4-5 days or every day |
Practical Tips
- Mix it Up: Combine moderate and vigorous activities throughout the week. For example, do a 30-minute jog (vigorous) and several shorter brisk walks (moderate) on different days.
- Be Active Every Day: Even if you don't have time for a full workout, try to incorporate movement into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs, walking during lunch, or doing some light stretching.
- Reduce Sedentary Time: Break up long periods of sitting with short bouts of movement. Get up and walk around every 30 minutes or so.
- Choose Enjoyable Activities: Find physical activities that you enjoy, as this makes it easier to stick with them long-term.
Examples
- Moderate Activity:
- Brisk walking
- Water aerobics
- Cycling at a leisurely pace
- Gardening
- Vigorous Activity:
- Running
- Swimming
- Playing football or basketball
- Aerobics
Important Note
These guidelines are for adults aged 19 to 64. If you have any specific health conditions or concerns, it's a good idea to consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
