Health

Everyday Activities That Count As A Workout

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!

Walking

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.

Cleaning

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.

Taking The Stairs

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!

Gardening

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.

Grocery Shopping

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.

See Also

Cooking

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.

Playing With Your Dog

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.

Let us know in the comments section below if you know of any other everyday activities that count as a workout!

Featured Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/730427633283817560/
Emily Ferguson

Recent Posts

This Is How To Prepare For University Life When You’re Totally Unprepared

Your application's been sent off, you've confirmed your choices, you might have even got your results already. All that's left…

40 minutes ago

Go Green: Fashion And Styling Tips For St. Patrick’s Day

It’s that time of year again, St. Patrick’s Day! Not only is drinking alcohol a synonymous part of the day…

3 hours ago

8 Ways To Deal With Stress For Freshers

As we come to the realisation that autumn is upon us, many students, especially freshers will begin to panic about…

5 hours ago

How To Remove Dark Circles Using Natural Products

Dreaded dark circles. They're usually associated with lack of sleep and/or a bad diet and bloating. While these are legitimate…

7 hours ago

Pastels For Spring Fashion: Groundbreaking

2019 is seeing plenty of pastels taking over the Spring fashion scene. With stores already stocking their Spring collection ready…

9 hours ago

The Top 10 Sites With Gym Clothing For Men

If you're a man who loves sporting the atheleisure look, I don't blame you. Athleisure is super popular right now,…

11 hours ago