Weekly Activity Goal Checker

How this tool works

This calculator compares your usual weekly activity with the CDC physical activity guidelines for adults 65 and older. It shows how close you are to each goal, so you can see where small changes would help most.

You enter four things about a typical week:

• Minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking
• Minutes of vigorous activity, such as jogging or fast cycling
• The number of days you do muscle-strengthening activity
• Whether you do any balance activities

The CDC says 1 minute of vigorous activity counts about the same as 2 minutes of moderate activity. So the tool works out your equivalent moderate minutes:

Equivalent moderate minutes = moderate minutes + (2 × vigorous minutes)

It then compares that total with the goal of 150 minutes a week and shows the percentage reached. Your strength days are compared with the goal of at least 2 days a week, and your balance answer is noted with simple ideas.

A worked example

Suppose you walk briskly for 30 minutes three times a week (90 moderate minutes), do 20 minutes of faster cycling once a week, and do strength exercises on 1 day.

• Equivalent moderate minutes: 90 + (2 × 20) = 90 + 40 = 130
• Percent of goal: 130 ÷ 150 = about 87%
• Minutes still to go: 150 − 130 = 20
• Strength days: 1 of 2

Adding one more 20-minute walk and a second strength session would meet both goals.

To judge whether your walking counts as moderate, use the target heart rate calculator or the talk test: you can talk but not sing. For more background, see our exercise guidelines for older adults.

Limits of this tool

The results are only as accurate as the minutes you enter, and it is easy to over- or underestimate. Whether an activity is moderate or vigorous depends on your own fitness, not the activity's name. The tool does not judge whether a particular exercise is safe for you. Remember that some activity is better than none, and people with chronic conditions should be as active as their abilities and conditions allow.

When to talk to your doctor

Check with your doctor before starting a new or harder routine if you have heart or lung disease, diabetes, joint problems or recent surgery, or if you have fallen. Stop and call 911 if you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath or feel faint while exercising.