This is the time of year when many of us are trying desperately to shed the excess pounds we gained during festive celebrations. But if you’re like most people, finding the spare time to get in shape whilst juggling the responsibilities of work and family can be tough. There’s no need to stress about getting enough exercise, however, as you can burn calories for fun when you’re carrying out your essential, everyday cleaning chores.
Cleaning can be therapeutic
The Discovery Channel conducted some research a while back that concluded many people find cleaning therapeutic. There is something very rewarding about creating a clean, tidy living environment. In addition, getting our home in order can make us feel like we’re taking full control of our own lives.
The same research also concluded that it is still women who carry out the bulk of domestic cleaning in Britain. The average woman spends around 16 hours per week cleaning, or around two and a half hours a day. This is a great opportunity to get a free and convenient workout according to your own schedule.
Imagine hitting the gym every single day of the week and putting in a two and a half hour shift. That’s the sort of commitment shown by a professional athlete. The housework you do every single week can be adapted slightly to burn calories and get you in great shape.
Whether you’re polishing, dusting, sweeping or mopping, there is always an opportunity to step things up and feel the burn. Almost every major cleaning job can be adapted to give you a calorie-burning workout.
The following domestic chores burn a huge number of calories an hour. In many cases, the benefits are similar to those you’d expect in a professional gym.
- Vacuuming – 194 calories per hour
- Dusting – 174 calories per hour
- Gardening – 288 calories per hour
- Mopping floors – 194 calories per hour
- Washing a car – 234 calories per hour
- Cleaning windows – 180 calories per hour
- Ironing – 113 calories per hour
- Walking up and down the stairs – 516 calories per hour
These figures are based on an average-sized woman weighing between 11 and 12 stone. When you consider the fact that walking at a fast pace burns 287 calories per hour, you can see what a great workout household chores can deliver.
Tips for turning your housework into a workout
To maximise the calorie-burning benefits of your cleaning and domestic duties, there are a few tips you should follow:
Pick up the pace
Try to carry out all of your cleaning tasks as quickly as you can… whilst remaining safe, of course.
Store your cleaning chemicals and tools downstairs
You can burn a huge number of calories by swiftly moving up and down stairs during the course of your day. By keeping all your cleaning products downstairs, you’ll be forced to go up and down throughout the day.
Pump up the volume
If you’re having trouble picking up the pace, turn up the volume on some fast-paced music. Dancing as you sweep, vacuum and mop will increase the rate at which you burn calories — and make cleaning a lot more fun!
Use waxes and homemade polishes
Using spray polishes makes life easy, and that’s exactly what you don’t want if you’re trying to lose weight. However, by using waxes or making your own cleaning paste with baking soda and white vinegar, you will be forced to put more effort into your polishing.
Be a disorganised cleaner
While most experts will tell you to have a plan for your daily housework, being disorganised can actually help you to burn more calories. If you’re constantly moving from room to room, up and down stairs and between various jobs, you’ll burn many more calories than if you’re cleaning in a logical, structured way. This might seem counterintuitive, but it will force you to move more. And to make up for your haphazard approach to cleaning, you’ll need to move faster too.
Don’t waste a small fortune on an expensive gym subscription when you can get a rigorous workout in the comfort of your own home.
