by UMED

If you are 55 years old or older, physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.  It can prevent many of the health problems that come with age. 

This helps you keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others. 

For significant health benefits, older adults need at least:

• Two hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week
• Muscle strengthening activities on two or more days a week to work all major muscle groups.

Or older adults can also do:

• One hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity every week
• Muscle strengthening on two or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.

Another option is to do an equivalent mix of moderate-and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.

How do you know if you’re doing moderate or vigorous aerobic activity?

On a 10-point scale, where sitting is 0 and working as hard as you can is 10, moderate-intensity aerobic activity is a 5 or 6. It will make you breathe harder and your heart beat faster.

You’ll notice that you’ll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song.

What counts as muscle-strengthening activities?

The activities you choose should work all the major muscle groups of your body like:

• Lifting weights
• Working with resistance bands
• Doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance (push ups, sit ups)
• Heavy gardening (digging, shovelling)
• Yoga