You've started a fitness routine, but can't always make it to the gym. A baby, family responsibilities or work may keep you tethered to your home, or you may feel too overwhelmed with household chores to enjoy your workout. You can satisfy your workout routine by performing household activities that will burn calories and tone muscles, and simultaneously knock out household tasks on your to-do-list. Several factors determine how many calories you'll burn performing common household tasks, including your body weight and level of conditioning, and the intensity and length of time you spend performing the activities.
Landscape Your Yard
By landscaping your own yard, you can enjoy a day outdoors, save money and get fit. A 180-lb person who spends one hour mowing the lawn burns close to 500 calories, according to the AARP. In addition, you'll tone up legs, back, abs, shoulders, and arms. Add 350 calories to your workout by raking the leaves and another 330 by planting flowers and pulling weeds. As an added bonus, you can pocket the estimated $75 you save on lawn services.
Wash Your Car
Obtain a full body workout when you wash your car. According to AARP, the motions of hosing, scrubbing and bending target your core, abs, shoulders, arms, back and leg muscles. As you appreciate the resulting shiny, clean car, you won't even notice that you just burned over 600 calories in the process, but you may notice the $15 the AARP estimates you'll save by forgoing commercial car washing services.
Shovel the Snow
You have to do it anyway to drive your car into the driveway, so enjoy the act of shoveling snow as the great workout it is. Shoveling snow for an hour burns almost 500 calories and works your arms, shoulders, back, abs and core muscles, explains the AARP.
Blow the Snow
If you prefer to blow instead of shovel, you'll work arm, shoulder and back muscles. A 150-lb person can burn 320 calories when blowing snow for an hour, estimates the Farmer's Almanac.
Clean your Home
As you dust shelves, scrub counter tops, vacuum rugs, mop floors and shine windows, you'll target arms, shoulders, back and abs and burn about 250 calories per hour, estimates AARP. In addition to the fitness benefits of cleaning your home, good housekeeping can improve your health and well being by eliminating disease-causing dust and germs.
Cook Your Dinner
After a long workout, cooking and eating a meal can feel like a nice reprieve. It can also increase the amount of calories you burned during your day. The chopping, mixing and moving between counter and oven add up to almost 150 calories, according to the Farmer's Almanac, to complete your day's household fitness regimen.
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