In fact we were the first country in the world with four different physical activity guides for four different age groups. The guides describe how much physical activity people of all ages need to do to improve their health.

This article tells you about how much and the types of physical activity you need to keep healthy. You’ll also find out how to start slowly and build up the amount of activity you do every day.

How Much Physical Activity Do You Need for Health?

As an adult, you should aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. What is moderate effort? If your breathing and heart rate are a bit higher, and you feel a bit sweaty by the end, you are using moderate effort or are being moderately active.

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If you can’t manage a long bout all at once, that’s okay. You can also add up each of your activities (those that were at least 10 minutes long) throughout the day.

Of course, children and teens need more physical activity than adults. They should be moderately active at least 90 minutes each day and try to decrease their inactive time by 90 minutes each day.  Of these 90 minutes, 60 should be moderate intensity and 30 should be vigorous intensity.

The guides define levels of activity by the amount of effort you need.

• Light effort: Light walking, stretching, or easy gardening
• Moderate effort: Brisk walking, raking leaves, or biking
• Vigorous effort: Aerobics, jogging, or hockey

Types of Physical Activity

In order to get the most benefit from being physically active you need to be active in different ways. The list below describes the three different types of activities.

• Endurance activities: Help your heart and lungs so you’re not huffing and puffing after climbing a flight of stairs.
• Flexibility activities: Help your muscles and joints to move more easily. An example of this kind of activity is bending down to pluck a weed out of your garden.
• Strength activities: Keep your muscles and bones strong, so you’re able to carry a heavy bag of groceries.

No Matter What You Do, Start Slowly

If you haven’t been very active lately, start slowly and gradually increase the time you are active. If you do too much too soon you may make your muscles and joints sore. You’ll find that it won’t be fun, and you’ll stop.

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Anything you do will be better than nothing. Over time, your body will get used to being active. But while even a little is good, more is better if you want to achieve health benefits.

Starting on the Road to Health

Canada’s Physical Activity Guides tell you about the different types of activities described above and how long you should be doing them to gain health benefits. You may have seen the guides in health clinics, recreation centres, seniors’ centres, and libraries. And there are more than just guides! There are booklets for teachers and families, magazines, activity charts, and stickers for kids.

Order copies of Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for your family, and start on the path to healthy, active living.

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Learn More

Adult Physical Activity Guide
This guide will help you make wise choices about physical activity: choices that can improve your health, help prevent disease, and allow you to get the most out of life.

Online Order Form
You can order the guides online for free.

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed for people who haven’t been active for a while and are thinking about becoming more physically active.

 For kids and teens

Children's and Youth Physical Activity Guide
More than half of Canadian children are not active enough for their best growth and development. Download interactive magazines, activity charts and stickers, guides, and more.

 For older adults

Older Adult Physical Activity Guide
This guide, a "roadmap" for older adults, explains why physical activity is important and how much you need to maintain good health. The guide also offers tips and easy ways to increase your physical activity.