Doing your chores burns a whopping 2,000 calories - why bother with the gym?
HOUSEWORK may seem like a chore but a new study revealed doing the boring work burns over 2,000 calories every week.
Doing your chores burns 2,000 calories, it's claimed
Who knew vacuuming, washing the dishes and even doing the ironing could be good for you? In fact, doing the housework gives you a better work out than the average gym session.
Simply doing the laundry once a week burns the same amount of calories as 100 sit ups and cleaning the windows equates to 40 push-ups.
Dusting the furniture is said to give you the same work-out as two minutes of serious planking.
And mowing the lawn can work up a sweat on par with a 20 minute HIIT session.
Mowing the lawn can work up a sweat on par with a 20 minute HIIT session
Changing the linen of a family of four’s beds can burn 65 calories in 15 minutes
4. Washing up
Scrubbing away at the dishes can burn an impressive 560 calories over a week if you spend 15 minutes doing it every night. This equates to swimming 2,500 metres. Even loading the dishwasher can burn 105 calories every thirty minutes.
5. Vacuuming
Giving your carpets a good clean can burn 90 calories in half an hour, which is the same as 15 minutes of kickboxing. Depending on size of your house, vacuuming can get you nearer to the daily recommendation 10,000 steps
6. Dusting
Something as easy as doing the dusting can burn 25 calories in 15 minutes, the same as two minutes of planking.
7. Ironing
If you spend three hours over a week getting the creases out of your clothes you can burn 420 calories, the same as a Zumba class. Standing still for long periods of time burns calories and works your core muscles too. Make sure to press down evenly and switch arms so both get an even work out.
8. Making beds
Changing the linen of a family of four’s beds can burn 65 calories in 15 minutes, the same as a mile long power walk.
9. Mopping and sweeping
Cleaning the floors for 30 minutes can burn 145 calories, which is equivalent to 15 minutes on the treadmill.
10. Mowing
Cutting the grass with a regular push mower can burn 325 calories per hour, or if you prefer you can do 20 minutes of HIIT.
11. Gardening
30 minutes of pottering in the garden can burn 213 calories, which is same as 45 minutes of cycling on flat terrain. Digging works your shoulder and abdominals so it’s great for an all round work out.