How much physical activity is enough?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine:

Healthy adults under age 65 should:

• Either perform moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week, OR
• Do vigorously intense cardio for 20 minutes, 3 days a week, AND
• Perform 8-10 different strength training exercises for each major muscle group two times per week. Perform one set of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise.

Adults over age 65 or adults 50-64 with chronic conditions, such as arthritis should:

• Perform moderately intense cardio exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, OR    
• Perform vigorously intense cardio exercise 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week, AND
• Do 8- 10 strength training exercises for each major muscle group. Perform one set of 10- 15 repetitions 2-3 days per week.
• Perform balance exercises if you are at risk for falling and consult with a physical activity professional to develop a physical activity plan. 

According to the American Heart Association

Children 2 and older should:

• Participate in 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderate intensity physical activity per day. 
• Activities should be fun, varied, and developmentally appropriate.
• If your child does not have a 30-minute break, try two 15-minute periods of activity or three 10-minute periods.

Examples of children’s activities are: dancing, tag, and games that involve movement.

Clearing it up with some definitions

What is cardio?

Cardio is any type of exercise that raises your heart rate. An example of cardiovascular exercise is walking, jogging, dancing, gardening, or biking.

What is moderate intensity?

Moderate intensity means you are exercising hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, while still being able to carry on a conversation.  An example of moderate intensity would be walking.

What is vigorous intensity?

Vigorous intensity means you are exercising at a level that raises your heart rate, sweating increases, and you are able to talk but would rather not speak.

What is a set?

A set consists of a number of repetitions done in a row.

What is a repetition?

A repetition or “rep” is the amount of times you raise and lower the weight in one set.

How much do I have to exercise in order to lose weight?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends performing 60- 90 minutes of cardio for a person looking for weight loss.

I’m not a jock. What does it mean to do three sets of 8- 12 reps?

This means that you will perform one exercise 8-12 times and then rest for a brief period (somewhere between 30 and 90 seconds). Repeat this process two more times. 

As you increase your fitness level, you can increase the amount of sets you do so your body does not get used to doing the same routine. 

Be Active Your Way (open accessible version in new window)