In the exercise recommendations made by different institutions and groups, they speak of moderate exercise. For example, for adults, the WHO recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, or the equivalent in vigorous activity. For children and adolescents, the WHO recommendation is to do an average of 60 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per day. But what does moderate exercise entail? What is considered moderate-intensity exercise? We see it in this article.
⇒Read this too: 5 ideas to move more every day
What is moderate exercise?
According to the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary habits , moderate-intensity activity is activity that increases your heart rate and makes you breathe faster. By the time you start breathing fast and hard, exercise is already considered vigorous activity.
The American Heart Association (AHA) adds one more piece of information that is interesting when it comes to assessing the intensity of physical activity: when doing moderate exercise you should breathe harder than if you were inactive and, even so, be able to speak.
Another way of defining moderate-intensity exercise is that provided by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, at Harvard University. According to this institution, moderate-intensity activities are those that make you move fast or vigorous enough to burn three to six times more energy per minute than when sitting quietly, or exercises that register 3 to 6 METs. Vigorous intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.
Metabolic equivalents (MET) are a physiological measure that represents the metabolic cost of an activity of daily living. One MET is equivalent to resting metabolic rate. METs can be estimated using questionnaires or calculated from the measurement of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max).
⇒Read this too: What causes shortness of breath when walking?
Benefits of moderate exercise
According to experts, and as many studies have shown over the last few years, regular moderate exercise offers the following benefits:
- It reduces the risk of major health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.
- Supports better brain function , including memory, focus, and information processing.
- Helps with weight loss or and in maintaining a healthy weight.
- Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety and other mental health symptoms.
- Improves sleep and sleep disorders.
- Improves bone health.
⇒Also read: Should I worry if there is chest pain during exercise?
Examples of moderate exercise
There are many activities that are generally counted as moderate-intensity exercise. Some examples of moderate-intensity exercise or moderate physical activity include:
- Walk between 3 and 3.5 km in 30 minutes.
- Do 8 km by bike in 30 minutes.
- Swim for 20 minutes.
- Run 2.5 km in 15 minutes.
- Do water aerobics for 30 minutes.
- Play volleyball for 45 minutes.
- Play basketball for 20 minutes.
- Jump rope for 15 minutes.
- Climb stairs for 15 minutes.
- Dance for 30 minutes.
- Do heavy housework, like cleaning windows, for 30 minutes.
- Gardening or horticultural work for 30 minutes.
⇒Read this too: Do you feel exhausted and don’t know why? Discover the possible reasons for your exhaustion
Measure exercise intensity using a heart rate monitor
With everything that I have told you before, there is a problem: depending on your level of physical fitness, there will be exercises or activities that cost you more or that even trigger your heart rate. And if you’re in good shape, it may be too little.
But for that we have another way to measure the intensity of the exercise is by using a heart rate monitor, even an activity bracelet (such as the one that PuntoSeguro gives you when you take out life insurance , for example).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the moderate intensity heart rate zone as 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.
If your heart rate monitor does not include this function, you can easily calculate it. The simplest formula is to subtract your age from 220. The result is 100% of your maximum heart rate.
For example, if you are 40 years old, 100% of your maximum heart rate is 180. So for moderate exercise, your pulse should be between 90 (50%) and 130 (70%).
You can also use this calculator .
⇒Read this too: Breathe well when running: 5 tips for you to breathe well while running
The #RetoPuntoSeguro rewards your physical activity
With PuntoSeguro.com, your physical activity always has a reward. By purchasing life insurance or health insurance at PuntoSeguro.com you can participate in the #RetoPuntoSeguro , the program that rewards policyholders only for maintaining an active lifestyle . Overcome the monthly challenges and get excellent bonuses when renewing your life or health insurance .
Other articles of interest
- To lose weight, telling someone to improve their diet does not work
- Is too much exercise harmful?
- Exercising May Improve Symptoms and Quality of Life for People With Asthma: Study
- Which type of exercise is better to control diabetes: aerobic or anaerobic exercise?
- Sleeping too soon after intense exercise can increase the risk of heart disease
