Movement vs Exercise: What’s the Difference?

If the movement doesn’t make you sweat, it doesn’t count—right? 

Not so fast. There’s a big difference between movement and exercise. And it turns out they’re both important for weight loss success. 

The Many Ways We Move Our Muscles
Movement is a general term for any physical activity. It includes everything from walking around the grocery store to doing chores to dancing in your living room. You probably wouldn’t consider what you’re doing a workout, and you may not even really be consciously considering you’re moving when you do it. It’s just a part of life. 

Exercise, on the other hand, is usually a more structured activity. Exercise is performed with specific intention, whether that’s weight loss, muscle toning, or something else entirely. Workout times are usually planned, as they often require a shower (or at least copious amounts of dry shampoo) and a change of clothes. Honestly, sometimes we need a nap after one. 

With exercise, you’re burning more calories over time—which can make it a more efficient way to get in that energy expenditure. Balancing your nightly R&R with a good workout to start the day can keep you can keep you from getting too sedentary. 

So, to recap, movement helps you stay active throughout your day. You will burn calories, but over the course of the entire day. Exercise helps you burn more calories in a shorter time. And you’ll need both for optimal results.

It’s Not an Either/Or Situation
Consistent and mindful movement is key to living healthier overall. As the physics law of inertia says, an object in motion stays in motion. The more you get used to being an active individual, the more you’ll want to move your body and stay active. 

If you find you’re having trouble understanding how many calories you might be burning during movement, consider tracking your baseline calorie burn. A wearable health tracker will record all the calories you’re burning throughout the day, whether you’re sweating it out at the gym or not. When you can directly see the movements you make as you go about your (relatively active) life add up to a chunk of calories burned, you can be more motivated to incorporate more movement.

Easy Ways to Incorporate More Movement
Once you know the benefits of movement, you’re going to want to do it more. Here are some simple steps to move a little more every day

• Walk or bike instead of driving when you can. (We know it’s not always possible, thanks to the way many of our towns and cities are laid out. But if you can…)
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. (This one might even get your heart rate up!)
• Set up a movement and/or step goal on your phone’s fitness app or through a wearable health tracker. (Watch those steps add up!)
• Park further away from your destination. (There are always spots in the back of the lot.)
• Add some extra energy to your daily household chores (A great playlist can help.)
• If you work a sedentary job, such as an office job, set a timer to get up and move at least once each hour. (You can do this easily on your phone or with a wearable health tracker.)
• Take active breaks between meetings or during commercials—think jumping jacks, lunges, or just doing a lap around the house. (It’s the best of both worlds!)

It’s important to note that movement alone won’t replace exercise in how much cardiovascular or muscle strength you build up. Those kinds of “gains” will require you to get your heart rate up—and keep it there. Combined with a strong foundation of everyday movement, regular exercise will help boost your weight loss efforts and move you further on your journey to success! 

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