Physical Activity Guidelines

Physical activity and exercise are not synonymous; incidental activity such as walking the dog or doing yard work also counts toward weekly targets. The 150-minute weekly activity threshold represents only 2.5 hours out of a 168-hour week. Adults should complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination. Adults should also perform muscle-strengthening activities of moderate to high intensity engaging all major muscle groups on two or more days per week. The Talk Test classifies exercise intensity: comfortable conversation indicates light to moderate intensity, while labored conversation indicates vigorous territory.