Moving more: what the guidelines say

A brisk walk, a bike ride or dancing can count towards your weekly activity. Movement also includes wheeling, active travel, work and household activity. WHO emphasises that any amount is better than none. You can start small while a full week’s target still feels out of reach.

The weekly amounts in context

For adults, NHS guidance is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. It also recommends strengthening the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week. The guidance covers both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening.

US guidance from CDC gives the same aerobic amounts and includes an equivalent mixture of moderate and vigorous activity as an option. It also recommends muscle strengthening on at least 2 days each week. The weekly activity can be divided into smaller chunks rather than done all at once.

Build towards the weekly amount at a manageable pace. If a short walk is what fits today, start there. Choose something you would want to do again, then think about when it could fit.

What moderate and vigorous feel like

Moderate activity raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster and feel warmer. As a guide, the NHS says you can still talk, but cannot sing. Brisk walking and water aerobics are examples. How much effort it takes helps you judge which part of the guidance it meets.

Vigorous activity makes you breathe hard and fast. At that intensity, you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath. Running and cycling fast or on hills are NHS examples. You can meet the adult aerobic recommendation through moderate activity alone; vigorous exercise is an alternative.

Strength does not require a gym

Strengthening activities include resistance bands, lifting weights, exercises using your body weight and heavy gardening. The NHS also lists carrying heavy shopping bags. Aim to include the major muscle groups rather than repeatedly working only one area.

You can do strength activity on the same days as aerobic exercise or on different days. Muscle-strengthening exercise does not always count as aerobic activity, so keep both in mind when planning the week. You might choose walking for the aerobic part and resistance-band exercises for strength.

Break up sitting, and adapt with age

The NHS advises reducing time spent sitting or lying down and breaking up long stretches of inactivity. Light activity can include moving around your home, making a cup of tea or walking slowly. These are ways to move more even when you are not doing moderate or vigorous exercise.

For adults aged 65 and over, NHS advice also includes activities that improve balance and flexibility alongside strength on at least 2 days a week. If you are worried about falling, ask about suitable balance and strength exercises rather than choosing a routine only for its aerobic minutes.

WHO links regular activity in adults with better sleep and mental health, as well as lower risks of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. Its guidance also recognises that opportunities to move depend on social, cultural and environmental factors. Choose something that is practical where you live. A plan can start with an available space or a familiar route, without buying equipment.

Light movement and moderate exercise have different roles in the advice. The NHS lists slow walking as light activity and brisk walking as moderate. Moving around the home helps interrupt sitting, while a brisk walk can contribute to aerobic minutes. When asking for a plan, describe your activity, including the pace and how much effort it takes.

Get advice about a starting point

Speak to your GP in the UK, or your doctor in the US or elsewhere, before starting if you have medical concerns or have not exercised for some time. Ask what activity and intensity suit your current fitness. Explain what you would like to do and what currently gets in the way.

Talk about activity separately during pregnancy and recovery after birth. NHS adult guidance says vigorous activity is not recommended if you were inactive before pregnancy, and that choices after birth need to reflect your earlier activity. Ask your midwife or doctor about a suitable plan.