Back to Regular Physical Activity Program

What is Regular Physical Activity?
"Regular physical activity" refers to participation in physical activity most days of the week, 5 or more days of the week if moderate intensity physical activities are chosen, and 3 or more days of the week if vigorous intensity activities are chosen.

Activity Types Description
"Light intensity physical activity" Activities that are equivalent in intensity to a slow walk. Participation in these activities can cause a slight increase in breathing rate, heartbeat, and body temperature. Examples: slow ballroom dancing, recreational volleyball, curling, golf, canoeing, walking, mowing lawn, bowling, putting groceries away, easy gardening.
"Moderate physical activity" Activities that are equivalent in intensity to brisk walking. Participation in these activities is sufficiently intense to cause an increase in breathing rate, heartbeat, and body temperature. A person should feel some exertion but should be able to carry on a conversation. Examples: kayaking on calm water, brisk walking, swimming, dancing, raking leaves, Scrubbing floors or washing windows bicycling on level ground (5 to 9mph), water aerobics.
"Vigorous physical activity" Activities that make a person sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, soccer, running swimming laps, fast bicycling, fast dancing, and similar aerobic activities. Participation in these activities is sufficiently intense to cause heavy breathing, a rapid heartbeat, and sweating. Examples: high impact aerobics, jogging, cross-country skiing, squash/racquet ball, fast swimming or swimming continuous laps, chopping wood, bicycling on hills, mowing the lawn with a push mower, tennis singles.