Less People Say They Exercise Every Day Than You Might Think - Exclusive Survey

It is no secret that there are health benefits to staying active. But there are subtle differences between physical activity and exercise. According to Penn State College of Medicine, physical activity happens anytime that you use your body's muscles to expend energy through movement. For example, standing at your desk instead of sitting can increase your physical activity. But WebMD says that standing at your desk should not replace exercise. 

On the other hand, exercise involves pushing your heart rate past its normal levels when at rest (via Medical News Today). There are several different types of exercise, such as walking, taking the stairs, going for a jog, and even engaging in aerobic exercise. When you build muscle mass through exercise — like weight lifting — you engage in strength training or anaerobic exercise. Furthermore, sports can help you train agility, and certain exercises, like yoga, can boost your balance and flexibility through stretching. There are numerous health benefits associated with exercise. The experts at Healthline say that exercise can help you lose weight, boost your mood, and even relieve pain. Too much inactivity, however, can negatively impact your health (per National Health Service). Health Digest conducted a survey and asked respondents how many days per week they typically exercised. The results may surprise you.

The results of the Health Digest poll of 583 people showed that 179 people, 30.70% of respondents, exercise three to four days per week. 128 people, 21.96% of respondents, exercise between one to two days per week, while 100 people, 17.15% of respondents, do not exercise at all. However, 94 people, 16.12% of respondents, do exercise five to six days a week. Lastly, 82 people, 14.07% of respondents, reported exercising every day. The results indicate that the majority of survey respondents exercise between three to four days per week. Astoundingly, the next two most common responses were one to two days of exercise per week or none at all.

There are mixed opinions about whether or not you need to exercise every day. Daily exercise can be done in a healthy way, but a day of rest can also be beneficial (per Healthline). Adults need 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of intense aerobic activity. Keep in mind, while all exercise is physical activity, not all physical activity is exercise.