Is there a difference between exercise and physical activity? – GOOD SHAPE

This question seems almost unreasonable, but believe me, they are different.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

“Any other type of activity that is not standardized is called physical activity and is present in everyday life, such as walking to the market or to work, cleaning the house, going up and down stairs at work, etc.”, he explains. the physical educator Vanessa Furstenberger. “Anytime the body moves is considered physical activity.”

In terms of physical activity, it is always possible to increase energy expenditure or improve physical conditioning by walking more from one place to another, when possible, or using the bicycle as a means of transport. Swap the elevator for the stairs, leave the car at home more often, go out for a walk with the pet more often, combine cleaning with a good playlist, etc.

EXERCISE

On the other hand, physical exercise is a regular, programmed and systematized activity, with a number of series, defined time, rhythm, etc.

A walk in the park, for example, if it happens with constancy and determined time, is a physical exercise. But walking daily from the bus stop to your workplace is a physical activity, as it doesn’t necessarily always happen at the same time and for the same duration.

“When we talk about exercise, we have to respect our body a lot so we don’t go beyond the limits”, explains Vanessa.

Even so, the two forms imply the movement of the body and have, yes, your benefits – especially for someone who, until then, was 100% sedentary. In any case, it is essential to seek to understand the needs of the body before adopting any practice.