Cleaning for Exercise

Today's post is from Ariel Wynne, a current Program Intern from Long Island.

The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, which means it’s time for spring cleaning! All that dust and mess has been building up all winter and it’s time to throw open the windows and scour the house getting ready for spring. Any sort of moderate activity is beneficial for your health—and if you combine 30 minutes of cleaning with your regular 30 minute aerobic exercise, you will have easily incorporated a whole hour of physical activity into your day helping you each your weight loss goals!

1. Be safe. Your safety is our main concern so make sure you’re lifting with your legs when you’re moving furniture or heavy boxes around and keep your core tight to prevent slouching.

2. Be strong. Strengthen your legs while cleaning. Do squats while you’re doing laundry, lunges while vacuuming, and calf raises when you reach up to clean those cobwebs out of the corner. To work your arms, scrub your shower with big circles and take small rugs outside and beat them with a clean broom rather than vacuuming them.

3. Be thorough. Leave no surface unclean. Make sure you get under the couches and beds, and dust those top shelves even if no one sees them. Also, make sure you move quickly; the more intensely you clean, the more intensely you workout—and of course the faster you’ll be finished.

4. Lastly, have fun! Turn on some music and boogey while you work. It will make the time go faster and you’ll burn extra calories dancing around.

Still think chores won’t give you a good workout? Thirty minutes of walking at a brisk pace will burn about 150 calories. Vacuuming for the same amount of time will burn 123, laundry will burn 133 and trimming shrubs will burn 155 calories! The moral of the story, you’ll burn comparable calories and have a clean house to boot.  Happy cleaning!