We all need to include exercise or physical activity in our lives in a way that is healthy and can be maintained. To do so, we must understand what physical activity is, what it can do for us, and what we should expect from it.

What is the difference between exercise and physical activity?

Many people use the words ‘exercise’ and ‘physical activity’ in the same way. However, physical activity refers to any body movement that burns calories. This includes movement for exercise, work, chores and play.

Two major subgroups of physical activity exist: exercise and NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). Exercise means planned, structured and repetitive activities aimed at improving fitness and health. NEAT refers to regular movement in everyday life. Movement at work, doing chores at home, and fidgeting are all examples.

Most health experts use the term physical activity because it includes both types of movement. Over the last few decades, physical activity levels (mostly NEAT) worldwide have dropped. This change contributes, in part, to rising rates of obesity around the world.

The Canadian Physical Activity
and Sedentary Behaviour
Guidelines Handbook

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Position Statement:

"Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight
Regain for Adults"

What are the benefits of physical activity?

Ample evidence shows that higher levels of physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions. It lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and weight gain, as well as various cancers. Higher levels of physical activity also allow people to do daily tasks with more ease and comfort, and with less fatigue.

How much physical activity do I need for improved health?

There is no question that the more physical activity we get, the greater the benefits to our health. The Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines Handbook, published in 2012, provides guidelines (see sidebar). It describes the amount and types of physical activity that offer health benefits to Canadians of all ages. We can reduce health risks by limiting the amount of time that we are sedentary. Being sedentary means doing activities that involve very little movement, such as watching TV, playing video games and sitting.

Adults 18 years of age and older are advised to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity each week. Aim for bouts of 10 minutes of activity or more. Adults are also encouraged to add activities that strengthen muscles using major muscle groups, at least twice a week. This amount of physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, osteoporosis, and premature death. It can also improve fitness, strength and mental health. According to Stats Canada, only one in five Canadian adults were meeting these guidelines in 2012 and 2013.

What is the role of physical activity in weight management?

Generally speaking, obesity comes from an imbalance of energy. This means the calories consumed (eaten) are higher than the calories burned. Many factors influence this equation, including some we are not able to control. However, we can control other factors, including the amount of physical activity we get. Activity influences the number of calories burned. In combination with healthy changes in the diet, increased physical activity may help to reduce and maintain a lower weight. Although many studies have shown that physical activity alone does not result in very significant weight loss, it may help to prevent weight gain.

How does physical activity help with managing weight?

Researchers believe that physical activity helps manage weight in a few different ways.

It increases the total number of calories burned. This helps maintain the energy balance if you are also mindful of eating patterns.
It reduces fat around the waist.
Doing an activity that strengthens muscles increases the total energy that your body burns throughout the day, even as you rest later on.
It boosts mood and helps motivate you to stick with an exercise routine.

How much physical activity do I need to manage my weight?

Being moderately active for 150 minutes per week lowers the risk of many diseases. To maintain a healthy weight or lose weight, most people need around 300 minutes of activity per week.

Guidelines published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) give more precise idea of what is needed.

To prevent weight gain, aim for 150 to 250 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity.
To lose a modest amount of weight, perform 150 to 250 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity. Increasing physical activity to 225 to 420 minutes per week may produce more weight loss.
To prevent regain of weight after it has been lost, keep up with 200 to 300 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity.

ACSM also recommends strength training as part of this health and fitness routine.

What exactly is moderate intensity physical activity?

Any and all movement is beneficial. However, to really reap the rewards of physical activity, we must increase the total amount of movement and also be active at the right intensity. We must not push too hard or do too little. For the greatest health benefit, aim for an exercise intensity that is moderate to vigorous. To manage weight, a moderate intensity activity is best.

The intensity of activity appears in our breathing, heart rate, whether we sweat and how tired we feel. Some people like to assess intensity by measuring their heart rate. The easiest way to check is to consider how you feel.

Characteristics of moderate intensity activity

It feels somewhat hard.
Your breathing is quicker, but you are not completely out of breath.
You develop a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
You can carry on a conversation with a little bit of shortness of breath.
If you can sing during the activity, the intensity is too light.

Characteristics of vigorous intensity activity

It feels quite challenging.
Your breathing is deep and rapid.
You develop a sweat quickly.
You cannot say more than a few words without losing your breath.

Increasing physical activity during the week

Many people feel pressure to increase the amount of time they spend doing structured exercise. However, remember that all physical activity is important. We live in an environment where it is very easy to move less – at home, at school, at work – everywhere. Instead of trying to find more time to exercise, consider how you can increase activity in all areas of your life. Here are a few suggestions.

At home

Recruit a partner to go for walks with you.
Plan an activity that the whole family can do together.
Clean the house or the car.
Walk the dog.
Do stretches or pedal a stationary bike while watching TV.

At work

Park further and walk.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Get off the bus or subway at an earlier stop and walk the rest of the way.
Take regular breaks to go for a brief walk.
Use the restrooms on a different floor.
Use the exercise facilities at work, if this is available to you.

At play

Walk, jog, cycle or skate.
Join dance, martial arts or yoga classes.
Golf, and walk the course.
Play recreational sports.
Walk the field while your children are playing sports.

The bottom line

Physical activity has many benefits. Moderate Intensity aerobic physical activity (150 minutes each week) can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. However, to maintain a healthy weight, more is needed. At least 300 minutes per week seems necessary to counteract the effects of increasingly sedentary lifestyles and to prevent weight gain. Remember to deliberately increase physical activity and movement in all areas of your life, rather than just ‘exercising.’ Of course, the most important thing is to have fun while being active!

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