Cardio
Lifting builds muscle and strength; cardio trains your heart and lungs. Adults should do both: at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio (or 75 minutes of vigorous) a week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on 2 or more days [1].
You don’t need to run. Brisk walking counts [2].
Pick a strategy
| Strategy | Time a week | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily walking | 20–60 min a day | Everyone, especially beginners | Easy to overestimate how much you do |
| Walks after meals | 2–15 min, after meals | Blood sugar, breaking up sitting | Doesn’t replace longer sessions |
| Intervals | 15–25 min, 1–2× | Fitness when short on time | Hard; easy to overdo |
| Running a 5K | 3 × 30 min | A clear goal, first race | Shins and knees if you build too fast |
| Running a marathon | 4–6 hours+ | A big goal | Time, injury risk, less lifting progress |
Start with how hard cardio should feel, and see pairing cardio with lifting to fit it around your program.