Where do you start if you have never done any sport?
You have never set foot in a gym and the word sport takes you back to bad memories of school. The World Health Organization’s benchmark is counted in minutes of movement, and your days probably contain some of them already.
The essentials
- Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 30 minutes on five days.
- Walking to get around, housework, carrying loads: all movement counts, says WHO.
- The right intensity: you can talk while you move, but not sing.
What is the minimum recommended for an adult?
One hundred and fifty minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week. That is the threshold the World Health Organization sets for people aged 18 to 64, which works out at 30 minutes on five days out of seven. The shorter equivalent is 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Those who want additional benefits build up to 300 minutes. WHO adds muscle-strengthening activity for the major muscle groups on two or more days a week.
The figure is a direction of travel, not an entry ticket. WHO stresses that some physical activity is better than none. Worldwide, 31% of adults do not reach the threshold, and women are on average five percentage points less active than men. So you are neither alone nor behind. If you are starting from zero, ten minutes is already a start.
Do housework and walking to get around count?
Yes. For WHO, physical activity means any bodily movement that uses energy: leisure, but also getting from place to place, work and domestic tasks. Walking briskly to the bus stop or the market, climbing stairs, dancing at a family party: it all counts, provided your heart rate goes up.
Muscle strengthening is closer than it looks. Among its examples, the NHS lists carrying heavy shopping bags and lifting and carrying children. WHO sums it up in one line: all physical activity counts. Your week may already contain part of the 150 minutes. The task is to notice those minutes, then add a few on purpose.
How do I know if I’m going fast enough, or too fast?
Use the talk test. At moderate intensity your heart beats faster, you breathe faster and you feel warmer: you can still talk, but not sing. At vigorous intensity you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for breath. To begin with, stay in the first zone. Brisk walking, riding a bike and dancing all belong there.
Heat changes the picture. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises scheduling exercise earlier or later in the day when it is cooler, starting slowly, picking up the pace gradually and drinking more water than usual without waiting until you are thirsty. If you feel faint or weak, stop and get to a cool place. You can pick it up again another day.
What should I do this week?
A 10 to 15 minute walk, on three or four days. The NHS advises spreading activity over four to five days a week instead of packing it into one, and it recommends some type of activity every day. Choose a slot that already exists: the journey to work, the wait during the children’s training, the late afternoon when the heat drops.
Before anything brisker, give yourself a warm-up of at least six minutes: marching on the spot, knee lifts, shoulder rolls. And keep the NHS advice in mind: if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have a medical condition, speak to a doctor first.
Your first week
Do
- Walk briskly for 10 to 15 minutes on several days.
- Check the intensity: you should be able to talk, not sing.
- Go out early in the morning or late in the day when it is hot.
- Drink more than usual, without waiting to feel thirsty.
- Count walking journeys and stairs as well.
Avoid
- Packing all your effort into a single day.
- Starting with hard sessions to make up for lost time.
- Carrying on if you feel faint or weak.
When to seek advice
Speak to a doctor before you start if you have not exercised for some time, if you have a medical condition or if you have concerns about your health. During exercise, if you feel faint or weak, stop and get to a cool place; if it does not pass, seek medical help.
General guidance for healthy adults. It does not replace advice from a health professional who knows your situation.