For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following exercise guidelines:

 Aerobic exercise.

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise per week, or a combination of moderate and intense aerobic exercise. The guidelines suggest extending this exercise to a week. A minimum of 300 minutes per week is recommended for further health benefits and to support or maintain weight loss. However, even a small amount of physical activity can help. Short periods of activity throughout the day can have a positive effect on your health. Weight training. Do strength training for all major muscle groups at least twice a week. After about 12 to 15 repetitions, aim to do one set of each exercise with enough weight or resistance to tire the muscles. Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as active walking, cycling, swimming, and lawn mowing. Intense aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, heavy gardening, and aerobic dancing.

Strength training includes weight machines, your weight, heavy bags, underwater resistance tubes, and activities such as rowing or rock climbing.

 As an overall goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. You may need to exercise more if you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss, or meet certain fitness goals.

 Reducing sitting time is also important. The more you sit each day, the higher your risk of metabolic problems. Sitting too much can negatively affect your health and longevity, even if you get the recommended amount of daily physical activity. And some studies have found that people who have lost weight may be more likely to stay off the pounds by sitting less during the day.

 Short on long timeframes? Even short bouts of activity can benefit. For example, if you can't take a 30-minute walk during the day, try a few 5-minute walks instead. Any activity is better than nothing. Most importantly, make regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.