Even if you have a tight schedule, you can look for ways to integrate interval exercise into your day. You can take breaks during your chores to do a short workout, or turn cleaning the house into a workout itself. Any activity that gets your heart pumping and muscles moving will burn calories and get you fit, as well as help you lose weight. Check with your doctor before you start doing any new exercises.
Definition and Benefits of Interval Exercise
Interval training simply means varying the speed and intensity of your exercise throughout the session -- meaning, you switch from a higher intensity pace or activity to a lower one, and alternate between the two until the end of your workout. Not only do interval workouts give you the ability to combat boredom, but they can also increase your overall calorie burn. You will be able to eliminate more calories in a smaller amount of time by picking up the intensity of your exercise for 30-second to two-minute increments.
Make Cleaning a Workout
If you clean the house at a fast enough pace, this can count as a workout in itself. For example, a 155-lb. person could burn as many as 167 calories by washing the windows for a half an hour. You could also mop the kitchen and bathroom floors until you break a light sweat, or get down on your knees and scrub the floors by hand to work different muscles. Furthermore, by moving back and forth between mopping, dusting and vacuuming, varying your speed as you go, you can get an interval workout by cleaning alone.
Exercise in Bursts
To take your routine a step further, use the breaks during your house cleaning to exercise. Adults need between 1 and 2.5 hours of aerobic activity a week, and you can accomplish this in as little as 10 minutes at a time. For example, when you finish mopping the kitchen, walk up and down the stairs for five minutes. Put the laundry in the dryer, and then go for a 10-minute run/walk interval around the block. Making a conscious effort to exercise throughout the day can help you meet your weekly goals in no time.
Additional Tips
Even when you are done with the housecleaning, you can look for ways to integrate interval exercise into your daily routine. Use your lunch hour to walk laps in the parking lot or go up and down the stairs between meetings. You might also put a treadmill in front of the TV to exercise while you watch, or turn your gardening into a workout, too. A 125-lb. person can burn 120 calories in 30 minutes of raking leaves. If you combine this with another 30 minutes of chasing your kids around the yard, you could burn an additional 150 calories.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Fitting in Fitness: Finding Time for Physical Activity; October 2010
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
- MayoClinic.com; Interval Training: Can It Boost Your Calorie-Burning Power?; February 2010
- Harvard Health Publication; Calories Burned in 30 Minutes of Leisure and Routine Activities; July 2004
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