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While these are not a substitute for regular exercise, household chores can help you avoid the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle and even aid weight loss. Some are considered mild to moderate, while others can provide a full workout. In modern times, washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners have made life easier for people, but that also means fewer opportunities to burn calories. However, they can be a convenient way to get the body moving amid the heat conditions in many parts of the country. (Also Read | Fat Burning Workouts For Summer: 5 Fun Exercises To Lose Excess Fat In Hot Weather)
Small activities can do wonders for your fitness levels. Doing household chores like dusting, walking the dog, preparing food, etc. can also ensure that you are not constantly sitting and moving your body frequently. So when it comes to doing laundry or cleaning the bathroom, try doing these chores yourself to see the difference in your fitness levels.
“Maintaining a healthy weight is important to avoid diseases like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Engaging in physical activity improves blood circulation and regulates metabolism, which is essential for overall health. Going to the gym or playing sports are popular choices, but everyday household chores can help you stay fit and lose fat,” said Shloka Joshi- classical hatha yoga teacher and lifestyle expert in an interview with HT Digital.
Household Chores That Help Burn Calories
Joshi lists some common household chores that can help burn calories:
1. Vacuuming: Pushing and pulling a vacuum cleaner can burn 150-300 calories per hour, depending on body weight and intensity.
2. Cleaning/Scrubbing the Floor: This activity activates your core muscles and can burn 150-250 calories per hour.
3. Washing windows: Reaching, pulling and wiping movements use multiple muscle groups, burning 100-200 calories per hour.
4. Gardening/Yard Work: Activities such as raking leaves, pulling weeds and pushing a lawn mower can burn 200-400 calories per hour. Being in contact with the earth while gardening has additional benefits. If your hands and bare feet are in contact with the earth, it can harmonize the physiological processes in your body, aid in weight management and stabilize your mood.
5. Washing and drying clothes: Bending, lifting, and moving around while doing laundry can burn 100-200 calories per hour.
6. Cleaning the bathroom: Scrubbing, mopping, and disinfecting the bathroom provides a full-body workout, burning 150-300 calories per hour.
7. Dust removal and organization: Light cleaning tasks like dusting and tidying up items can burn 100-200 calories per hour.
These activities fall under NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which refers to calories burned through everyday movements and activities other than planned exercise.
Incorporating more household chores into your daily routine can increase your NEAT, leading to an increase in total daily calorie burn.
Benefits of Household Chores for Weight Management
Shloka Joshi explains the many benefits of doing household chores for weight management and overall health.
1. Calorie BurnMany household tasks, such as vacuuming, mopping, gardening and scrubbing, burn a significant amount of calories, contributing to a healthy energy balance for weight loss or maintenance.
2. Strength buildingWork that involves lifting, pushing or carrying heavy objects helps build and maintain muscle mass. Increased muscle mass increases your resting metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories even while you’re at rest.
3. Incidental exerciseHousehold chores often involve walking around the house, climbing stairs, and many other activities. These incidental exercises throughout the day contribute to an active lifestyle and overall fitness.
4. Mindfulness: Staying focused and present while working can help reduce the tendency to mindlessly snack or overeat, which often occurs when you’re bored or distracted.
5. Stress relief: Completing household tasks provides a feeling of satisfaction and reduces stress, which is important for weight management, as chronic stress can lead to unhealthy behaviors.
Tips to maximize profits:
- Perform tasks at a fast and challenging pace.
- Incorporate strength-building activities.
- Use work as a break from sedentary activities.
- Consistency is key. Aim to incorporate household chores into your daily routine as part of a balanced, sustainable approach to weight management
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