Final answer:
Physical exercise is any planned and structured activity aimed at improving one or more aspects of physical fitness. For adults, it's recommended to perform 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week along with muscle-strengthening activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Physical exercise is any bodily activity designed to improve or maintain physical fitness and overall health. This includes structured and planned activities aimed at enhancing aspects of fitness such as cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and metabolic health. Examples of physical exercise include walking, swimming, weight lifting, and aerobic workouts. Adjusting the intensity and duration of these exercises can cater to individual fitness goals and needs, with varying recommendations for different age groups and fitness levels.
For adults, it is generally recommended to engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Additionally, muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups should be performed on 2 or more days per week. Despite these recommendations, many Americans fall short of these minimum exercise requirements, which is a concern for national health and well-being.