What if you could earn fitness points for doing housework? Things like carrying boxes up the stairs, scrubbing the floor and hauling a heavy bag of garbage to the big trashcan outdoors. Most people think the only exercise that counts is what you do at the gym. Not so.
Incidental Exercise Counts Too
According to a study carried out at Queen’s University in Canada, the activities you do every day can boost your cardiovascular fitness. As new research is showing, incidental exercise, activities like walking to and from your car, climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator and moving furniture around the house count when it comes to health and fitness.
Researchers at Queen’s University found that the more time people spent doing so-called incidental exercise, the better their cardiovascular fitness was. This was true despite the fact they didn’t participate in consistent moderate-intensity exercise. Instead, these informal exercisers racked up many minutes of unplanned exercise throughout the day. The researchers were able to monitor their activity using an accelerometer that they wore around their waist.
The researchers in this study discovered these unplanned, short bursts of exercise contribute to better fitness, but they’re more effective when they’re done with intensity. For example, climbing up the stairs while carrying a suitcase is more beneficial than leisurely sweeping the floor. These results add to a growing body of research that shows short periods of more intense exercise has health benefits.
Incidental Exercise Adds Up
Ever wondered how many calories you’re burning when you do simple chores around the house? Rake the leaves for 30 minutes, and you’ll burn 135 calories. Wash the car for the same length of time and burn 150. Scrub the bathtub for 15 minutes, and you’ll burn off about 60 calories. Clean the windows for 15 minutes and burn 60 calories. It all adds up.
The key is to do these activities with intensity. Even shopping can give your heart a boost if you power walk through the mall while carrying a few shopping bags. Even better, strap on a weight vest, and wear it while you shop.
These activities may not take the place of going to the gym, but doing them is a way to burn extra calories throughout the day. Even short bursts of activity help to boost insulin sensitivity and reduce fat storage. It also offsets the effects of prolonged sitting. Studies show that people who sit for hours during the day have a higher mortality rate even if they work out at the gym.
The Bottom Line?
Keep moving during the day. Find reasons to get up out of your chair every hour, and do some incidental exercise. Do it with intensity and you’ll be contributing to your cardiovascular health even if you don’t make it to the gym.
References:
Health News Daily. “Attention Exercise Haters: Everyday Activities Improve Fitness”
Health Stats. Calories Burned Estimator
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