Can’t find the time to hit the gym? Or the gym just doesn’t sound appealing as of late? Well, I’ve got good news for you, my friend. Did you know that you can burn just as many calories cleaning your house as you would running on the treadmill? Yes please, I’d take cleaning over running any day. I’m not saying that cardio isn’t great for you. However, if you’d prefer to get that heart rate up doing everyday activities rather than a gym sesh, then keep on reading!
This is probably one of the most obvious everyday activities that is an amazing form of exercise! Good ol’ walking. You don’t even need to be running outdoors or on a treadmill, just walking at a good pace is a great way to burn off some extra calories. Walking for 20 minutes a day can count towards your daily exercise, so get those steps in! Grab your dog, a friend or your trusty Spotify playlist and start walking.
You’ve just dusted the entire house, swept and mopped the floor and everything is looking squeaky clean. Oh, everything except you, that is. Yep, you’re now a panting, sweaty, hot mess. That’s because regular household cleaning can burn just as many calories as a gym session. Cleaning the windows, vacuuming the carpets, scrubbing the bathtub, these everyday activities will get your heart rate up in no time.
Yes, the dreaded stairs. How easy is it to just jump in the elevator or onto the escalator to get from point A to point B. Well, not today sister! You get your butt walking up and down those stairs. Walking up stairs is not only an awesome cardiovascular workout, it also forces you to engage your quads, glutes, calves and hamstrings. Skip leg day at the gym and just take the stairs!
Watering, weeding, carrying heavy bags of soil, mowing the lawn, etc. All of these actions are a definite calorie burner and will engage a lot of your muscles. Gardening has been recognised as a moderate-to-high intensity physical activity. So instead of sweating it out on the elliptical, get out, enjoy the sun and get some gardening done.
Whaaat? Grocery shopping? Yep, you read that correctly! If you keep a steady pace whilst doing your grocery shopping, this everyday activity can be a real workout. Try and get all of the heaviest items into your shopping trolley first, such as the potatoes, milk, flour, etc. This will make the cart heavier and you will have to try harder to push and control the trolley throughout your grocery shop. Trust me, it’ll burn a few calories.
If you like to cook at home regularly, good on you! Because whilst you’re doing your cooking, you’re also doing a form of exercise. Cooking keeps you on your feet, moving around, and keeps your heart rate up. Chopping up vegetables, rolling out the dough, little everyday activities like these are working out your muscles. Yes, it’s minimal, but even minimal workouts beat sitting on the couch.
Hello fellow dog lovers! You’ll know that it’s important to keep your dog active and healthy, taking them for walks and playing with them every day. If you’re like me and like to play with your dog by chasing them around, playing fetch with their toys and just running around the backyard, you’ll know this play time is actually a decent workout. This everyday activity is not only fun for you and your pet, but it’s also a heart-pumping workout.
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