6 Household Activities That Will Have You Feeling the Burn
We know how difficult it is to fit a trip to the gym into your busy schedule every day. Conventional wisdom says the harder the workout the more pounds you’ll lose, but not every calorie-burning action has to be extreme. Did you know that a lot of the everyday things we do around the house can actually contribute to your fitness and weight-loss goals? It even has a fancy name! When you burn calories doing household chores and other light activities, it’s called non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT. While we aren’t saying this is a replacement for exercise, here are 6 household activities we found that will help you stay active* and give you peace of mind when you can’t fit in that workout (and your house will look better than ever, too).
1. Vacuuming
Depending on the weight of your vacuum and the size of your cleaning area, performing this activity for at least 30 minutes can burn between 100 to 160 calories. Try boosting your energy level to really get the heart rate pumping. Vacuuming can be very aerobic while giving arms, legs, abs and buttocks an excellent workout.
2. Cleaning the Kitchen
You may rethink your opinion on cleaning the kitchen once you realize the opportunity it gives you to stay fit. If you work at a moderate speed you can burn between 170 to 370 calories by cooking, washing the dishes and cleaning up the rest of the mess. Plus, if you focus all of your attention to the task at hand, it’s a great time to practice mindfulness.
3. Carrying or Playing with Your Kids
Whether you are out with the little ones for a trip to the park or just walking around the house, opt to carry your child instead of using a stroller. If your little bundle weighs at least 15 pounds, you can burn 80 to 100 more calories every 30 minutes. Additionally, knocking off a few calories can actually be fun! Playing catch or kicking the ball around outdoors can burn up to 180 calories.
4. Walking the Dog
We know your favorite furry kids love to get out and stretch their legs—and you should too. Not only will a brisk walk with your four-legged friends have you soaking up fresh air and sunshine, it can also raise your heart rate to help you shed those pounds. Walking at moderate speed for 15 minutes can burn up to 135 calories.
5. Gardening
Stop and smell the roses (and burn, burn, burn away those calories!) Think you can’t get exercise spending some quality time in the garden? Think again. According to research, spending 60 minutes weeding, tilling, planting and tending to your garden can burn off up to 300 calories. What’s more, if you’re doing some heavy lifting to get the garden ready for spring, you’ll be stronger and more toned in no time.
6. Yardwork
Last time we checked, mowing the lawn and raking leaves are not exactly on everyone’s Top Two Favorite Things To-Do list. More than likely, a lot of effort, energy and time will be spent on your precious weekend devoted to these chores. With the right mindset, you can see it as an opportunity to really put in the grind by burning between 200 and 400 calories an hour.
Burn with a Boost
So now you know that you can amp up your daily calorie burn quota by just doing some of those pesky daily chores, but if you’re still looking for something more to take your fitness and nutritional health to the next level, the NeoraFit™ Weight Management & Wellness System* can be just the support you need. Our easy, 3-step system combines a line of daily supplements that support your body around the clock with sustainable lifestyle habits that keep you on track. After years of research, we have developed clean, natural formulas that help deliver proven, scientifically backed results so you can reach your weight-loss and fitness goals. Give it a try today! What do you have to lose?
*Results are approximate depending on individual weight and activity-level.
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