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Activity Charts
Ask yourself honestly how much exercise you are doing, and then identify where you are on the chart beneath.
Slowly increase the amount of physical activity that you are doing following the suitable exercise examples highlighted below.
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current activity level | Inactive lifestyle Less than 10 minutes physical activity a day |
Occasionally active 10–20 minutes physical activity a day* |
Regular physical activity 20–30 minutes physical activity a day* |
Regular physical activity At least 30 minutes physical activity a day*, resistance and flexibility training once a week |
Very active 30 minutes physical activity a day*, resistance and flexibility training twice a week |
| Typical activities during level | Chair exercises, commence a walking programme, increasing everyday activities, after the first two weeks | A brisk walking programme, chair exercises using household items | Chair exercise programme, resistance band exercises, jogging, dancing | Home exercise programme, resistance band exercises | Home exercise programme using increased resistance such as dumb-bells, possibly joining a gym |
| Target activity level | Physically active for 10–20 minutes every day: gentle to moderate exercise | Physically active for 20–30 minutes every day* | Establish regular exercise pattern, 30 minutes physical activity a day*, resistance and flexibility exercises at least once a week | 30 minutes physical activity a day*, resistance and flexibility exercises twice a week | Congratulations! You are achieving the benefits associated with an active lifestyle. Take care to ensure that you do not over-train. Vary your exercise routines, consider joining a gym |
| Example of suitable activities | Stationary cycling (little resistance), dusting, hoovering, general household chores, aquatic exercise, walking | Steady cycling (flat terrain), brisk walking, dancing, raking the leaves, aquatic exercises (gently-paced swimming) | Brisk walking, hill climbing, jogging, mowing lawn using hand mower, swimming (moderately-paced laps) | Brisk walking, jogging, squash, tennis, football, aerobics, swimming (moderate- to fast-paced laps) | Cycling up hills, jogging, weight training, circuit training |
*Moderate-intensity exercise is the equivalent of the effort required to undertake a brisk walk. It should be performed at 'conversational exercise' pace, so if you are too out of breath to talk, you are probably working too hard.
Do not consider starting a strenuous exercise programme at the same time that you commence a Cambridge Weight Plan Step.
- If you already follow a vigorous exercise programme, you may need to moderate it to a less active level for a week or two until your body adjusts to your Cambridge Weight Plan.
- It is recommended that no exercise beyond gentle walking be undertaken in the first two weeks of Step 1. Your body will need this time to adjust to being on a VLCD.
- After the initial two week period, gentle to moderate intensity exercise* can be undertaken whilst on Step 1, providing that it is approached with caution and not done with excess.
- Walking or cycling is excellent exercise, but start slowly, and do not overdo it at the beginning.
Exercise Flow Chart
Download this chart as a PDF
Before starting any physical activity, start with a gentle warm up and stretching. Ideally this should last for 5-10 minutes, be appropriate for the exercise that you are about to undertake, and not be too strenuous.
How active are you?
Keep a track of your weekly activities by filling out the Cambridge Active chart.
At the end of the week review your diary. You may be surprised at how much activity you have actually done, or be able to identify ways that you can increase your activity levels.
Download the Cambridge Active chartBack to Cambridge Active
