← Back
Print
Download factsheet Download factsheet

Move your body and get active

Running shoes
Being physically active can help you:
  • Get fitter
  • Sleep better
  • Manage your weight
  • Improve your mood and energy levels
  • Reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers

How much physical activity should I do?

Doing some is better than none, and more is better! If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.

National guidelines recommend that adults aim to:

  • Move More: Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.
  • Move Harder: Do at least 30 min of moderate (raises your heartrate but doesn’t make you breathless) or 15 min of vigorous (makes you gasp for breath) activity on most days; or an equivalent combination.
  • Move Stronger: Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.
  • Move Often: Minimise your time spent sitting and break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

Creative ways to get moving

Man hiking in the bush

Get into nature for a walk.

Women celebrating during a hockey game

Make it social by joining a sports team.

Jumping on a trampoline

Bounce on the trampoline with your kids.

Man in business attire takes a train

Walk, ride or take public transport to work or school.

Woman walks up stairs

Always take the stairs instead of the lift or escalators.

Woman rolls out a yoga mat

Do light stretches or yoga when watching TV.

Man mops the kitchen

Get your house in order with active housework like gardening or mopping.

3 women chat while walking in the park

Catch up with friends for a dance class or walk instead of a coffee.

Download our FREE exercise guides and workouts.

My exercise goals

You can either type your answers and print this out (your text will not be saved) or print this out and then write your answers.

Move more

Examples - walking, jogging, swimming, active housework, ride to work, lawn bowls.

Choose a type of aerobic/cardio activity, number of days per week and number of minutes per session.

My goal is:

Move stronger

Examples - yoga, pilates, home strength workout program, gym strength workout program.

Choose a type of strength building activity, number of days per week and number of minutes per session.

My goal is:

Move often

Examples - stretch in front of TV, standing desk at work, phone reminder to get up each hour.

Choose to limit screen time, sit less or break up sitting time, and say what strategies you will use to achieve this.

My goal is:

More technology often leads to more sedentary time. Set yourself a goal of a maximum amount of ‘screen time' for leisure each day.