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How much activity do I need?

As an adult, the amount of activity you need depends on what you want to get out of it.

To take care of your health and lower your risk of getting sick, you need either:

• A total of 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate activity each week, or
• A total of 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) of vigorous activity each week

To get even better results, you need either:

• A total of 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate activity each week, or
• A total of 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of vigorous activity each week

To lose weight, it's important to combine a healthy diet with at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

In addition to being active, include muscle-strengthening activities 2 times a week.

Sound like a lot? The good news is that you can spread that activity out during the week so you don't have to do it all at once. You can even break it into smaller, 10-minute chunks of time.

How do I know if the activity I'm doing is "moderate" or "vigorous"?

Try the "talk test."

The talk test is simple. A person who is doing moderate activity should be able to talk, but shouldn't be able to sing. These usually include activities like biking or walking.

If a person is too out of breath to carry on a conversation, the activity is vigorous. Vigorous activities include running, jogging, or playing a sport like basketball or tennis.