Activity vs. Exercise: Don't confuse the two

In our overall quest to stay healthy, most of us know and understand that exercise is a very important part of a healthy routine.  We also know and understand that staying active is important as well.  However, many of us confuse the two.  Activity is not a substitute for exercise even though both are beneficial each in their own way.

 An activity is defined in several different ways:  something that is done as work or for a particular purpose: something that is done for pleasure and that usually involves a group of people.  For the purposes of this article, I define an activity as something that involves mental awareness and physical movement.  Examples of activities include golf, a leisurely stroll, walking, mowing the lawn (with a push mower), gardening, splitting wood, general yard work, and often the physical nature of some occupations such as a contractor, builder or mechanic. 

 The benefits of activity usually come from the body being in constant motion, utilizing a variety of muscles and joints throughout their individual range of motion. There is also a benefit from the mental focus of an activity, keeping our brain exercised.  Most activity is not real strenuous nor does it tend to elevate your heart rate.   However, it keeps your body in motion, your muscles moving, and your mind sharp.  All are beneficial and essential for a healthy body.

 Exercise is defined as: bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness.  Exercise is an activity for the specific purpose of challenging your physical self in a way that alters your body functions.  Such as increasing cardiovascular output, muscle toning, increasing muscle mass, and increasing strength, balance or muscle coordination.  These are also the benefits of exercise.  It is recommended that exercise be performed for no less than 30 minutes 4 times a week.  Your exercise should at a minimum, elevate your heart rate, your breathing, and your body temperature (breaking a sweat).   Exercise can range from swimming, to power walking, to weight training, to yoga and pilates.  There are numerous ways to exercise and each one as specific benefits depending on your goals.  But by far the most important benefit is improving your cardiovascular efficiency or output.

 Staying active is terrific and highly encouraged, but is not a substitute for true exercise.  I hear all the time, when I ask what a patient is doing for exercise that “they don’t, but they walk a lot at work or they spend a lot of time working in the yard”.  I politely remind them that they are describing an activity, and that they still need 30 minutes of exercise 4 times a week.  Don’t confuse the two, yet each are beneficial to maintaining a healthy body.