--- title: "Moving more: what the guidelines say" description: "What counts as activity, how advice on aerobic exercise and strength fits together, and how to make a start you can manage." url: "https://myruva.co/learn/movement-and-exercise-guidelines" language: "en-GB" topic: "Wellbeing" published: "2026-10-18" updated: "2026-10-19" author: "Ruva team" reading_minutes: 4 --- # Moving more: what the guidelines say What counts as activity, how advice on aerobic exercise and strength fits together, and how to make a start you can manage. *Written and reviewed by the Ruva team · Updated 2026-10-19 · Wellbeing* ## Key points - Any amount of movement is better than none. - Advice for adults includes at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. - Include activity that strengthens your muscles on at least 2 days a week. - Break up long spells of sitting with some activity. A brisk walk, a bike ride or dancing can all count towards your weekly activity. Movement also includes wheeling, walking or cycling to get somewhere, work and housework. WHO stresses that any amount is better than none. You can start small while a full week’s target still feels out of reach. ## The weekly amounts in context For adults, NHS guidance is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. It also recommends activities that strengthen the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week. So the guidance covers both aerobic activity and strengthening. US guidance from CDC gives the same aerobic amounts, and includes a mix of moderate and vigorous activity as an option. It also recommends strengthening on at least 2 days each week. You can split the weekly activity into smaller chunks rather than doing it all at once. Build up to the weekly amount at a pace you can manage. If a short walk is what fits today, start there. Pick something you’d want to do again, then think about when it could fit in. ## What moderate and vigorous feel like Moderate activity raises your heart rate, and makes you breathe faster and feel warmer. As a guide, the NHS says you can still talk, but can’t sing. Brisk walking and water aerobics are examples. How hard it feels helps you judge which part of the guidance it counts towards. Vigorous activity makes you breathe hard and fast. At this level, you can’t say more than a few words without stopping for breath. The NHS gives running and fast or hilly cycling as examples. You can meet the adult aerobic advice with moderate activity alone. Vigorous exercise is another option. ## Strength does not require a gym Strengthening activities include using resistance bands, lifting weights, exercises using your own body weight, and heavy gardening. The NHS also lists carrying heavy shopping bags. Aim to work all the major muscle groups, rather than the same area again and again. You can do strength activity on the same days as aerobic exercise or on different days. Strengthening exercise doesn’t always count as aerobic activity, so keep both in mind when you plan your week. You might choose walking for the aerobic part and resistance band exercises for strength. ## Break up sitting, and adapt with age The NHS advises spending less time sitting or lying down, and breaking up long spells of not moving. Light activity can include moving around your home, making a cup of tea or walking slowly. These are ways to move more, even when you’re not doing moderate or vigorous exercise. For adults aged 65 and over, NHS advice also includes activities that help balance and flexibility, alongside strength, on at least 2 days a week. If you’re worried about falling, ask about balance and strength exercises that suit you, rather than choosing a routine only for its aerobic minutes. WHO links regular activity in adults with better sleep and mental health, and lower risks of heart and blood vessel disease and type-2 diabetes. Its guidance also accepts that how easy it is to be active depends on your social, cultural and physical surroundings. Choose something that’s practical where you live. A plan can start with a space you have or a route you know, without buying any equipment. Light movement and moderate exercise do different jobs in the advice. The NHS lists slow walking as light activity and brisk walking as moderate. Moving around your home helps break up sitting, while a brisk walk can count towards your aerobic minutes. When you ask for a plan, describe your activity, including the pace and how hard it feels. ## Get advice about a starting point Talk to your GP in the UK, or your doctor in the US or elsewhere, before you start if you have health worries or haven’t exercised for a while. Ask what kind and level of activity suits your fitness now. Explain what you’d like to do and what gets in the way at the moment. Talk about activity separately during pregnancy and while you recover after birth. NHS adult guidance says vigorous activity isn’t recommended if you weren’t active before pregnancy. It says choices after birth need to take account of how active you were before. Ask your midwife or doctor about a plan that suits you. ## When to get help - **Book an appointment:** Book a GP appointment (UK) or talk to your doctor (US or elsewhere) before you start if you have health worries or haven’t exercised for a while. ## Where you live Services and advice differ between countries. - **UK:** The NHS advises at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strengthening activity on at least 2 days. - **US:** CDC gives the same amounts of aerobic activity, and at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week. - **Elsewhere:** WHO stresses that all physical activity counts and that some activity is better than none. ## Sources 1. [Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/), NHS 2. [Adult Activity: An Overview](https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html), CDC 3. [Physical activity](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity), World Health Organization 4. [Physical activity guidelines for older adults](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/), NHS --- This guide is general information to help you keep and use your own records. It isn’t medical advice. If you’re worried about a symptom, or something changes suddenly, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.