The term structured physical activity is simply what comes to mind when we think of exercise. It consists of planned bouts of physical activity and is often times more straightforward to describe, in terms of intensity, time, and/or frequency than unstructured physical activity.

Lifestyle physical activities are bouts of physical activity that are incorporated into an individual’s everyday routine. Lifestyle physical activities are often considered unstructured because they vary based on events and/or situations that develop over the course of a given day. A few examples of lifestyle physical activities include taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, parking the car further away in store parking lots, walking around the home or office while chatting on a cordless telephone, etc.

Similar to structured physical activity, maintaining an "active head", by making "active" lifestyle choices where possible will also help improve one’s health.