When we think about exercise, it is easy to picture a gym, a workout session or a specific sport. However, staying active goes much further than that. Walking, cycling for transport, taking the stairs, doing household chores or simply getting up regularly when we work sitting down are also part of an active lifestyle.
The benefits of physical activity do not depend exclusively on intense workouts. Incorporating movement regularly into our daily lives can contribute to better physical and mental health while also helping us reduce the many hours of sedentary behaviour that often make up a large part of our day.
The key is not necessarily to become an athlete, but to understand that our body is designed to move and that every opportunity to be active counts.
What do we mean by physical activity?
Physical activity is any bodily movement that involves energy expenditure.
Therefore, we should not confuse physical activity only with sport or planned exercise.
We can stay active in many different ways:
- walking for transport;
- taking the stairs;
- cycling;
- doing household chores;
- walking the dog;
- dancing;
- gardening;
- playing sport;
- doing strength exercises;
- taking short active breaks during the working day.
All of these activities can help increase our daily movement.
This is especially important because many people spend a large part of the day sitting: working in front of a computer, travelling by car, watching television or using electronic devices.
Physical activity, exercise and sport: they are not exactly the same
Although we often use these words as if they meant the same thing, there are some differences.
Physical activity is the broadest concept and includes any movement that involves energy expenditure.
Physical exercise usually refers to planned, structured and repeated activity designed to improve or maintain specific physical abilities.
Sport, meanwhile, generally involves activities with defined rules and may be practised recreationally or competitively.
This means that someone can significantly increase their activity level without necessarily taking part in a specific sport.
Main benefits of physical activity
Supports cardiovascular health
Regular physical activity is associated with important cardiovascular benefits.
Moving regularly helps keep the cardiovascular system active and is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that a walk or an exercise session can, on its own, compensate for other unhealthy habits.
Cardiovascular health depends on our lifestyle as a whole: physical activity, diet, rest, avoiding smoking and other personal factors.
Helps maintain muscles and bones
Staying active helps preserve our physical capacity over time.
Muscle-strengthening activities are particularly important because they help work the major muscle groups.
In addition, certain weight-bearing activities help stimulate muscles and bones.
This becomes even more important as we get older, when maintaining strength, mobility and independence becomes a key goal.
May help us sleep better
Physical activity is also associated with better sleep quality.
This does not mean that exercising guarantees perfect sleep every night, as rest depends on many factors.
Schedules, stress, diet, caffeine intake, screen use and the sleeping environment all play a role.
However, maintaining an appropriate level of activity is one of the habits that can support healthy sleep.
Supports psychological well-being
Regular physical activity also has benefits related to mental health and well-being.
It can reduce short-term feelings of anxiety and is associated with a lower risk of depression when maintained regularly.
Many activities also have a social component that can be positive: walking with someone, taking part in group activities, dancing or playing sport with other people.
This does not turn exercise into a substitute treatment for mental health conditions, but it does make it an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Helps maintain cognitive function
Regular physical activity is also associated with benefits for brain health.
It may help maintain abilities such as thinking, learning and judgement as we age.
Once again, this does not mean that exercise automatically makes us more intelligent or that there is one specific activity capable of preventing all cognitive decline.
Brain health depends on many factors, but staying physically active forms part of general recommendations for healthy ageing.
Helps with body weight management
Movement increases energy expenditure, so physical activity also plays a role in the balance between the energy we consume and the energy we use.
It can contribute both to weight maintenance and to a weight-loss strategy when an appropriate energy deficit is present.
However, we should avoid oversimplifying the issue.
Body weight depends on many factors and exercise should not be used only as a way to “compensate” for what we have eaten.
Physical activity and diet should work together as part of sustainable habits.
What is sedentary behaviour?
Sedentary behaviour refers to long periods spent awake doing activities that require very little energy, usually while sitting or reclining.
Working for hours in front of a computer, travelling everywhere by car or spending much of our free time sitting are common examples.
A person can even exercise several times a week while still accumulating many hours of sedentary behaviour during the rest of the day.
For this reason, today we do not talk only about “doing exercise”, but also about reducing the amount of time we spend sitting.
Does exercising compensate for sitting all day?
We should not think of it in terms of compensation.
Regular physical activity is very positive, but it is also advisable to limit long periods of sedentary behaviour.
Someone may work out for an hour and then spend almost the entire rest of the day sitting.
For this reason, as well as setting aside time for exercise, we can look for small opportunities to move throughout the day.
Standing up regularly, walking while talking on the phone, making short journeys on foot or taking the stairs are simple examples.
How much physical activity should we do?
For adults, international recommendations suggest doing between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week.
Another option is between 75 and 150 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination of both intensities.
In addition, muscle-strengthening activities involving the major muscle groups are recommended at least two days per week.
These figures provide a useful reference, but there is an even more important idea: doing something is better than doing nothing.
If we are currently very sedentary, we do not need to go from zero to several hours of exercise overnight.
We can start with small amounts and gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity.
Moderate and vigorous activity: how can we tell the difference?
A simple way to guide ourselves is to pay attention to our breathing.
During moderate-intensity activity, we breathe faster than usual but can normally still hold a conversation.
Brisk walking is a typical example for many people.
During vigorous activity, the effort is greater, breathing increases considerably and maintaining a prolonged conversation becomes more difficult.
The actual intensity also depends on our fitness level.
The same activity may represent moderate effort for one person and vigorous effort for another.
Walking: one of the simplest ways to move more
Walking has a major advantage: for most people it is accessible and easy to include in everyday life.
It does not necessarily require special facilities or complicated equipment.
We can increase our daily movement by getting off public transport one stop earlier, walking some journeys, going for a walk after a meal or setting aside a few minutes to walk during the day.
We can also gradually increase the pace, duration or route depending on our fitness level.
The important thing is not to become obsessed with reaching a specific number of steps, but to use walking as a simple tool to reduce sedentary time and increase overall movement.
The importance of strength training too
When we think about physical activity, we often focus on walking, running, swimming or cycling.
However, strength training is also important.
We can train strength using our own body weight, resistance bands, machines, dumbbells, barbells or other resistance systems.
Doing strength exercises progressively helps work the major muscle groups and complements aerobic activity very well.
If we want to develop a more structured routine, the gym can be an excellent option. In our article on the benefits of going to the gym, we explain in more detail how consistency and a training routine can fit into a healthy lifestyle.
How to move more if we work sitting down
Working for many hours in front of a computer is one of the reasons we can accumulate long periods of inactivity.
We cannot always change our job, but we can introduce small changes:
- getting up from the chair regularly;
- walking during some phone calls;
- using the stairs whenever possible;
- making short journeys on foot;
- using breaks as an opportunity to move;
- alternating tasks when possible;
- taking a walk before or after work.
None of these actions replaces a complete physical activity routine on its own, but together they can considerably increase the amount of movement we accumulate throughout the day.
Do we need to exercise for a full hour at a time?
Not necessarily.
One of the important messages from current recommendations is that all activity counts.
We can accumulate movement throughout the day and should not think that activity is only worthwhile if we have a full hour available.
Ten minutes of walking, active transport or a short exercise session can be especially useful for someone starting from a very sedentary lifestyle.
Consistency is often more important than attempting overly ambitious sessions that we cannot maintain.
Physical activity and diet: two parts of the same lifestyle
Exercise and daily movement should not be used to justify an unbalanced diet.
Likewise, eating healthily does not remove the need to stay physically active.
The two habits complement each other.
A varied diet provides the energy and nutrients we need, while physical activity helps keep our body active and maintain our functional capacity.
We should also pay attention to hydration and rest, particularly as we gradually increase our activity levels.
Do we need supplements to be physically active?
Not simply because we move more.
Food supplements are not a requirement for maintaining an active lifestyle.
The foundation remains an adequate, varied and balanced diet.
In certain situations, using a specific supplement may make sense, but the decision should depend on our needs, diet and goals rather than on the idea that everyone who exercises needs supplementation.
For example, nutrients such as magnesium are involved in functions related to energy metabolism and normal muscle function, but having an adequate amount does not mean that consuming more will automatically improve performance.
The best physical activity is the one we can maintain
A perfect routine on paper is of little use if we abandon it after a few days.
For some people, walking will be easiest. Others may prefer cycling, dancing, swimming, playing a sport or going to the gym.
There is no single activity that everyone must do.
The important thing is to find forms of movement that fit our circumstances, fitness level and preferences.
It is also advisable to progress gradually, especially if we have been inactive for a long time or have an illness, injury or physical limitation.
Daily physical activity: small changes we can maintain
The benefits of physical activity do not depend only on major workouts.
Moving more throughout the day, reducing sitting time, walking, doing strength exercises and finding activities we enjoy can help us build a more active lifestyle.
Physical activity recommendations provide a useful reference, but they should not become a barrier for people who are just starting.
If we currently do very little, beginning with small amounts already means moving in the right direction.
Over time, we can gradually increase our activity and, above all, make movement a normal part of everyday life.
Because when we talk about health and well-being, one of the simplest ideas remains one of the most important: move more and spend less time sitting.