It might be easier to perform moderate physical activity than you think, according to a federally funded study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. National guidelines encourage Americans to engage in “moderate physical activity” for at least 2.5 hours a week, and now there’s a more solid example of what that entails.

Simon J. Marshall, an assistant professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University, and the lead author of the study, explains it. “It’s a bit like a brisk walk. If you can imagine you’re late for a bus, you’re in a hurry. It’s not a leisurely stroll, it’s a brisk walk.”

More specifically, it’s about 1,000 steps in ten minutes. Taking three 1,000-step walks per day, five days a week, would meet the national guidelines for exercise, according to the researchers. This averages out to 92 to 102 steps a minute for men and 91 to 115 steps a minute for women.

It was suggested that using a pedometer could be an excellent way to calculate if one is walking at a fast enough rate to qualify for “moderate” activity. Although, cautions Marshall, about half of the pedometers on the market aren’t accurate. He recommends reading several reviews to find a model with the highest reliability and accuracy.