For someone who currently engages in 0 minutes of exercise per week, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends starting with moderate- intensity exercise to achieve health benefits. Specifically, ACSM advises:

• Engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, which can be broken down into about 30 minutes per day on 5 days per week. Moderate intensity means working hard enough to break a sweat but still being able to carry on a conversation (e.g., brisk walking)

• Alternatively, 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., jogging or running) on 3 days per week can be done instead of moderate-intensity exercise.
• A combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise can be used to meet these recommendations, aiming for a total energy expenditure of 500-1000 MET-minutes per week

• In addition to aerobic exercise, ACSM recommends performing resistance training for all major muscle groups on 2-3 days per week to improve muscular strength and endurance

• Flexibility and neuromotor exercises (balance, agility, coordination) are also advised 2 or more days per week to maintain joint mobility and function

For someone starting from no exercise, it is important to gradually increase activity levels to reach these targets for substantial health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases and improved physical fitness

. In summary, ACSM recommends beginning with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise totaling at least 150 minutes weekly, complemented by muscle- strengthening activities twice a week, as the baseline exercise intensity and volume for health benefits for inactive adults.