So if you don't have time to pump weights at the gym or attend Pilates classes, then substitute them with everyday household tasks or jobs in the garden.
They will stretch and tone your muscles, and you'll burn up to 315 calories an hour - that's more than twice as many as you would sitting in front of the television.
Sounds unbelievable? We put it to the test. The results are a scientific estimate of what a ten-stone person would burn while doing the following activities at a comfortable pace, based on the calories burned in an hour per pound of body weight. If you push yourself very hard at, say, walking, add more calories.
And it should be remembered that since housework isn't a good form of cardiovascular exercise, you will still need to work your heart and lungs with walking, swimming or cycling.
315 CALORIES
30 minutes of digging, or 45 minutes of cycling on flat ground
Digging uses the thigh and calf muscles; it is also a good form of cardiovascular exercise if you can keep it up continuously for ten minutes or more.
285 CALORIES
30 minutes of climbing stairs, or 19.5 minutes of skipping
Climbing stairs is a great cardiopovascular activity. Do it several times a day and you are looking at a work-out equivalent to one you would get on the stepper at the gym.
225 CALORIES
30 minutes of raking leaves, or 37 minutes of ice-skating
Because you are pulling against a resistance (i.e. wet leaves), raking is a form of weight-training. It works all the major muscles in the legs and upper body.
200 CALORIES
30 minutes of scrubbing the bath, or 45 minutes of ballroom dancing
Getting rid of tide marks on the bath is not the most pleasant of household tasks, but it really works your bicep and tricep muscles in the arms. Particularly stubborn stains will guarantee you work up a sweat.
190 CALORIES
30 minutes of carrying shopping bags home, or 40 minutes of golf
Try to make sure you have evenly-weighted bags in each hand - or swop on the way home. Every now and then, rest the bags on the floor and then bend your knees before lifting them again. This simulates free weights at the gym.
160 CALORIES
30 minutes of painting and decorating, or 25 minutes of walking
Climbing up and down the step-ladder to reach nooks and crannies adds to the calories burned when you decorate. Wallpapering is an energetic activity too - applying paste and reaching up to put the paper on the walls works the upper body.
143 CALORIES
30 minutes of washing the car, or 32 minutes of yoga
It might take longer than whizzing your motor through the car wash at the local garage, but the advantages are that you will work you arms and abdominal muscles as you reach to clean the roof and other awkward places.
130 CALORIES
30 minutes of making beds, or 12 minutes of jogging on the treadmill
Although sheets and blankets tend to make for harder work, even shaking out a few continental quilts and puffing up pillows will add to your energy expenditure.
125 CALORIES
30 minutes of cleaning windows, or 21 minutes of power yoga
Obviously, the size and position of your windows has a big part to play in determining quite how effective this workout will be. If you are using a bucket, don't put it on the floor next to you, but leave it a slight distance away so that you have to reach to get it every time you need water.
115 CALORIES
30 minutes of weeding, or 13 minutes of weight training
All the bending down to pick out weeds from the garden means that you are working your thighs and buttock muscles. Try to make sure you don't bend from the waist down, as it can strain your lower back.
110 CALORIES
30 minutes of shelving groceries, or 18 minutes of badminton
Tins of food can be replacement weights for a home workout, so understandably this chore will be taxing if you have shopped for heavy items.
105 CALORIES
30 minutes of loading the dishwasher, or 30 minutes of light stretching
OK, so putting your dirty dishes in a machine rather than washing them by hand is the easy way out, but believe it or not, the bending and reaching action will help you fight off the flab.
90 CALORIES
30 minutes of vacuuming, or 15 minutes of kick-boxing
Vacuuming works your arms because of the pushing and pulling it entails. Do the entire house in one go rather than one room at a time - it will mean that you work up a real sweat.
80 CALORIES
30 minutes of preparing the dinner, or nine minutes of tennis
Chopping, grating and lifting dishes in and out of the oven in a steamy kitchen will burn calories. Follow with washing up and you have a work-out without leaving the kitchen.
71 CALORIES
30 minutes of ironing, or 11 minutes of step aerobics
Think of ironing as weight-training for the upper body. Make sure that you stand up straight and work your arm muscles hard as you press down. And remember to change hands regularly, so that you don't end up with one arm more muscular than the other.
50 CALORIES
30 minutes of dusting, or 10 minutes of salsa dancing
It may be less taxing than a lot of chores, but if you have a lot of high shelves or trinkets to be moved, then the calories burned will mount up. Much of the benefit is in the stretching actions as you reach out with your duster. "
Words from article here
Well after all that 'work out' it must be time to put my feather duster away
and sit down and enjoy a refreshing cup of tea ... or would you prefer coffee?
All the best Jan
All the best Jan
16 comments:
I hate housework, I'll just have to remember that I'm doing a workout whilst I'm hoovering.
I must admit it's the only thing that buoy's me up to do the housework Jan, the idea of burning off all those calories.. I probably shouldn't reward myself with a treat afterwards ☺
useful guide!
It may burn calories, but I still don't enjoy housework.
ooooh i didn't see knitting??? i don't hate housework but knitting i LOVE!!!
I'm not a fan of either. For eating I drink soda, it's my one and only bad habit. But anywhere else I prefer water. Or chocolate milk in the morning or late at night
housework will NEVER be my favorite workout. get me outside and we'll talk. :)
I do enjoy house work once I get in the mood. If only I'd get in the mood more often. Knowing that I'm burning up all those calories might just give me the incentive. : )
Well, Friday is cleaning day at our house. When I retired, I vowed never to do housework on the weekends. Cleaning was usually how I spent the weekend since I worked so many hours. So now I clean like a whirlwind on Friday and relax all weekend. Glad to know there is a benefit beyond having a clean house.
I love these ideas! I must have burned tons of calories with all the house chores I did this week :)
this is great info, we just have to go about with a busy and productive everyday life!
Well I will have to say that this surely motivated me to get more work done around the house, I guess it is a win win to have a cleaner house and burn calories :)
There is always plenty to keep me busy, it's the stops for a cuppa and maybe something to go with it that let me down though!
Lisa x
I agree with this post so much!!! Even when I did my muscle and fat test at the gym, they couldn't believe how much muscle I had and said, I will be able to lose my weight faster because of this. And, I feel the reason why is because, I am always gardening or cleaning or dancing around! LOL! I really do!
Interesting, but I would much rather dance than clean the bathroom!
No wonder I was able to stay so slim without much work at a gym on my part. With three kids and a 4000sq ft house, I was always in motion.
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