We live in what feels like the age of the ‘super busy’ or the ‘I’m always multitasking’. So, it’s great news that we can ‘kill two birds with one stone’ in our health and fitness lives too. I’m talking about exercising while spring cleaning!
For some of us, the thought of spring cleaning is just as daunting and hard to swallow as a workout. But, just as a great workout session can help burn a whole heap of calories, so can moving and spring cleaning around the house in ways that incorporate NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). And I promise it will be productive!
Spending time on jobs around the house can be a nice addition to your usual workout schedule. How many calories each person will burn is unique to them. To get an accurate number, we recommend wearing a heart rate monitor. A heart rate monitor will allow you to see the full rewards of your energy expenditure, especially if you’re dancing along to your favourite playlist while you’re at it!
Another benefit to housework is that often, time passes so quickly that you don’t notice your calorie output, and find yourself moving for much longer than on a dreaded treadmill. You are also likely to improve on basic functional movement patterns throughout your cleaning activity, which can be of significant benefit to your general workout technique and stamina.
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So, let’s take a look at a few generic examples of calories burned through simple chores around the house:
Mopping
60 minutes = 170 calories
Scrubbing the bath
60 minutes = 190 calories
Vacuuming
60 minutes = 170 calories
Sweeping
60 minutes = 204 calories
Polishing
60 minutes = 102 calories
Cleaning the floors
60 minutes = 156 calories
Cleaning the car
60 minutes = 238 calories
Washing the windows
30 minutes = 167 calories
Folding laundry
60 minutes = 68 calories
Gardening
60 minutes = 204 calories
Moving furniture
60 minutes = 340 calories
Spring cleaning the house for the purpose of burning calories has got to be one of the more enticing reasons to do this frequently. But, it is also a great opportunity to work on areas of your health and fitness, namely, improving your posture and flexibility.
As you go through your chores, working on holding your abs tight and maintaining an upright posture is a fantastic way to engage many muscle groups and train your core. Or, perhaps give a quick, 15-second plank a red-hot go while you’re cleaning the floors. This is a great example of combining cleaning movements with simple exercises. Just think to yourself, “Well, while I’m already down here”.
Another way to maximise the output of your spring cleaning is to focus on fully extending your arms while you’re scrubbing the bath, the windows, the floor or polishing furniture. Do this on both sides of the body in equal time to keep things balanced.
And one final cleaning-hack (I promise!); if you are doing something that requires some bending down, why not aim to transfer some of the movements into mini squats, lunges or even walking lunges if you’re game!
Win, win!
Blogs you might also like:
What Is Neat And Why Is It So Important For Weightloss
How To Spring Clean Your Kitchen
4 Top Tips For A Healthy You This Spring
