Most of us have heard daily physical activity recommendations for adults. It is generally recommended that we should be active most days, preferably doing moderate physical activity every day. However, this might vary based on factors like age and lifestyle. It’s important to learn about the right amount of exercise for your personal circumstances.
What do physical activity guidelines recommend?
The physical activity guidelines are helpful to give you an idea of how much exercise you should get. However, these will be different depending on how young or old you are.
For most adults
There are a few alternative exercise recommendations for adults. How much physical activity you should do is based on the intensity of the workout. Moderate intensity exercise is recommended to be done for a longer time compared to vigorous exercise.
For moderate intensity physical, activity, it is recommended to reach between 2.5 and 5 hours a week. Types of activity in this category include brisk walking, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming.
If someone is doing vigorous physical activity, then they can stick to 1.25 to 2.5 hours a week. Vigorous aerobic activity encompasses sporting activities like jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer and netball.
When you’re incorporating a mix of moderate and vigorous activity into your routine, you are able to pick an amount of time in between the two types of exercise.
For others
For older Australians, children and pregnant women, the exercise guidelines are slightly different. The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care provides guidelines you can look at.
Calculating and adding up hours of physical activity and exercise is not easy or attractive for everyone. Additionally, sometimes it is confusing to distinguish between exercise (i.e structured sessions) and general physical activity. Plus, you have to figure out exactly what type of exercise is right for maintaining good health.
For some, life is very busy, and fitting in the minimum 1.5 hours of vigorous exercise that makes your heart beat faster and makes you sweat it not overly achievable.
Is a small amount of physical activity worth it?
Several studies support the notion that even small amounts of physical activity have health benefits and can also assist in reducing pain. Less pain for a lot of us means that we can start being more physically active and gradually achieve health benefits – we can feel better, sleep better and reduce the risk of multiple diseases. Exercise is the cheapest medicine we have!
Additionally, reducing daily sitting and including shorts exercise sessions can have great effects on your quality of life. One study showed that increasing daily activity by 40 minutes could help prevent back pain from getting worse.
How do I know where to start?
Physical activity doesn’t always have to be structured. You don’t need to sign up for a gym membership to start exercising. Making some small changes to your daily routine can make a big difference and add minutes to reach your recommended dose of physical activity.
Examples of exercise
- Walk or ride your bike for short trips instead of driving
- Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
- Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way
- Park further away from your destination and walk
- Walk to the park to eat lunch
Or you can do what my 86-year-old grandmother does. During TV advertisements, she stands up and does 40 squats. True story!
Where can I learn more?
If you are not sure where and how to start, speak to your physiotherapist. At Albany Physiotherapy, we combine hands on treatment and individualised exercises to help you achieve your goals – no matter how big or small. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more.
Written by Anni Begutter
