Physical Activity vs. Exercise - What’s the Difference?

If you look through any of our Better Surgery courses, you’ll probably notice that we talk a lot about ‘physical activity’, but don’t tend to mention ‘exercise’.

So what’s the difference — and why does it matter?

What Does “Exercise” Mean to You?

Take a moment to think about what exercise means to you.

Where do you picture yourself when you hear that word?

For many people, exercise is something quite specific and structured. It often involves going to a particular place – a gym, swimming pool, yoga studio or sports centre. 

Or perhaps it’s heading out for a run, a cycle, or a game of tennis or football. Either way, exercise usually means setting aside a dedicated block of time in your day.

And to be clear — there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

These kinds of activities are excellent for your fitness, strength, heart health, and mental wellbeing. If you enjoy structured exercise and it fits into your life, that’s fantastic.

But how often have you heard people say: “I don’t have time to exercise,” or “I hate going to the gym.”

Despite the fact that exercise makes us feel better afterwards, for many people it can feel like a chore – yet another thing to squeeze into already busy lives.

For some, the word exercise also comes with negative associations. Maybe school PE wasn’t a great experience. Maybe you’ve tried going to the gym and felt uncomfortable, unsure what to do, or worried about how you looked.

So what if improving your health didn’t have to mean carving out extra time or forcing yourself into activities you don’t enjoy?

That’s Where Physical Activity Comes In

Physical activity is a much broader, more inclusive and easier to achieve concept than exercise.

It includes any movement that uses your muscles and gets you moving more. And crucially, it’s something that can be woven into everyday life, rather than added on top of it.

Physical activity can include things like:

• Walking instead of driving short distances

• Taking the stairs rather than the lift

• Doing housework, gardening or DIY

• Playing with children or grandchildren

• Getting up regularly to move if you’ve been sitting for a while

  
  

None of these things need special equipment, gym memberships, or large chunks of free time. And the important thing to understand is this:

It all adds up.

Physical activity doesn’t have to be something you “fit in”. It can simply fit around you and your life.

What Do the Guidelines Actually Say?

UK guidelines recommend aiming for:

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or

• 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, spread across at least 4–5 days

They also recommend doing muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week.

But there’s a part of the guidance that often gets overlooked.

The guidelines also emphasise the importance of reducing the amount of time we spend sitting or lying down, and breaking up long periods of inactivity with some movement.

This matters because there’s growing evidence that long periods of being sedentary are harmful in their own right – even in people who do some exercise.

In fact, there is strong evidence that spending less time sitting or lying down is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and even a cache of living longer.

The guidelines make it sound like you have to spend a lot of time exercising. But what if you walked for just 10 minutes each day instead of taking the car? By the end of the week, you’d already have accumulated over an hour of moderate physical activity – without having to dedicate any time to exercise.

Why This Matters Before and After Surgery

When it comes to preparing for an operation, this approach makes a huge amount of sense.

Surgery places a significant stress on the body. The fitter, stronger and more active you are beforehand, the better your body tends to cope – and the smoother recovery is likely to be afterwards.

By focusing on physical activity rather than exercise alone, we make it easier to achieve. Almost everyone can do something to move a little more, regardless of age, fitness level or confidence.

So if you’re preparing for an operation, try to think about how you can be more active in your day-to-day life.

Getting the Balance Right

So what’s the ideal approach?

In our view, it’s about aiming for an active lifestyle overall:

• Walking or cycling where you can

• Reducing long periods of sitting

• Keeping your body moving throughout the day

  
  

Alongside this, if you’re able to, adding in some more strenuous exercise can bring additional benefits – pushing your heart rate higher, building muscle strength, and improving balance and confidence.

And for many people, exercising with others brings powerful motivational and mental health benefits too.

Being more physically active — in ways that work for you — is one of the most effective, achievable steps you can take to prepare for surgery and support your recovery.

If you’d like to explore this topic further, you might be interested in:

• Podcast - What’s Up Docs - How much exercise should you do? Exploring the role and impact of exercise on our bodies and mood and focusing on sitting less and moving more in everyday life. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002q2jn

• NHS advice on why sitting too much is bad for our health, with practical tips for reducing sedentary time. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/why-sitting-too-much-is-bad-for-us/