What counts as exercise?
11/21/2024 by Danielle P. Johnson, M.S., P.T.
Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthy adults aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity throughout the week. Dedicating significant blocks of time to exercise each day can be challenging for many.
An alternative can be to commit to short periods of movement throughout the day. Spreading activity out and being consistent with activity during the day can add up to significant health benefits. It all counts. Even walking a few minutes every hour can significantly lower many disease risk factors. Look for opportunities to fit movement into your day. That's the key to getting your "move" on.
Remember the acronym NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT describes movement throughout the day that is not designated as a "workout."
Consider looking for NEAT opportunities like these to move more throughout the day:
- Have a walking meeting.
- Schedule your meeting in a location that requires a short walk.
- If you've been sitting for a while, stand up or take a quick walk, even if it's just throughout the house.
- Stand while you talk on the phone.
- Try a standing desk.
- Walk up the steps instead of taking the elevator to increase your energy and focus.
- Formal exercise is important, but choosing to move throughout the day burns calories and helps improve your health.
Here are some other ideas to get moving:
- Go "old school" with chores — use a vacuum instead of the Roomba or pick up that snow shovel instead of using the snowblower.
- Play tag with your kids.
- Wash the windows.
- Go sledding or make snow angels with your kids.
- Dig out the hula hoop.
- Hear your favorite song? Break into a dance.
Any and all movement counts. What you do is limited only by your imagination. Have fun.
Danielle P. Johnson, M.S., P.T., is a wellness physical therapist at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program in Rochester. She specializes in combining physical therapy with whole-body wellness and integrating fundamental and natural movement patterns and practical and playful movement into daily experiences.