One thing people do that makes them think they are really burning off calories is common housework. Guess what, you are not really getting a good workout unless you climb stairs. Standing up and doing dishes, ironing, making the bed, or mopping the floor may burn up some calories, but it does not give you the cardiovascular workout that running up stairs will give you. Your arms are moving, but for the most part, the rest of your body may as well be still.
You know what, I always wondered how those calorie-counting websites gave those figures for activities like hoovering and ironing. If that were the case, I'd hoover to glory all day long without having to sweat it out at the gym! I agree with your post. Housework is hardly a substitute, and the easiest and harmless way to get some real cardiovascular exercise is to walk briskly on a treadmill or in the open. Climbing stairs doesn't work for me, as they compromise my knees
To a point you're right, but if you're cleaning the windows and bending and stretching and rubbing away vigorously, it does get your heart rate up, especially if you have large patio windows to go at. When I've cleaned my windows, I'm as much out of breath as if I've done several laps in the pool. I'd never suggest housework as a substitute for exercise, but you can use certain tasks as impromptu cardio sessions.
Interesting post...I guess I cannot use the excuse anymore that housework enhances my cardiovascular fitness. I run around like a chicken with my head cut off around the house but it really does not compare to the exertion of the occasional sprint or squat workout. I am not looking to lose weight, but my cardiovascular endurance is suffering. Now off to find the time and energy to get fit again...
I suppose if you had one of those very heavy old-school vacuum cleaners, then it might be burning a few calories to push it around. And then if you're doing this while holding a baby in one arm, then you're toning muscles as well. That's not cardio work, is it?
I disagree with you for one main reason: people have different rates of fitness. A regular gym goer who exercises with weights and runs five miles each day will not get a workout from cleaning their house. A more sedentary person who works on the computer or in an office all day will get a workout from vacuuming, scrubbing floors and washing windows. Overweight people will get a workout for sure. It also depends how large your house is and how long the bursts of house cleaning are.
It's definitely a combination of the two ideas. No, it's not the same as going to the gym in terms of burning calories or getting your heartrate up. It's also not the same as sitting your butt down on a couch and watching TV instead either. It's an in-between ground. If you really push to get a workout out of it, you can, too. You just have to pay attention to what you're doing and push for the burn instead of being lazy with it.
Certainly for a person who is mostly sedentary and just wants to get up and move a little bit to avoid atrophy, house cleaning is a workout. But I don't think calling house cleaning a workout is a good plan if you're, say, aiming to lose a whole lot of weight or seriously tone your muscles.
Yeah, unless you live in a mansion you won't burn enough calories to lose weight. You need a real weighloss program to see results. I would probably have to contain my laughter if someone told me they were planning on doing only house work to lose weight.
I guess that would depend on how you clean your house. Try living with 6 kids. I feel like I get a workout just cooking 3 meals a day and cleaning messes. I guesss if you live alone and nobody ever messes. I know my back and hips and arms and legs ache after a long day tending house. I can't imagine the workout people used to get before modern apliances. My mixer gave out the other day and I had to hand whip a bunch of cakes batters and frosting for a party. I thought my arm was gonna fall off. 400 strokes a cake batter killed it. I had a friend over who does work out and I passed the bowl and whisk to him and he was wimping out after 200 strokes. So if you only have to vacume once a week or dust every few weeks then maybe not. I guess I just like a clean house.
I would never substitute cleaning for my workout. But I know that when I have those weeks where I do more housework than usual, it feel more sore, which means I'm working several muscles that I don't normally use and burning more calories. As a result, I'm burning more calories. So, if I did do this more often, not only would my house be immaculate, but my body would be more toned and I'd probably be a few extra pounds lighter.
It probably depends on how much effort is put forth. I know I've had days when I was practically running through the house all day long trying to get everything done on my 'to do' list. Briskly walking around all day sure beats sitting in bed and watching tv all day. Of course, there are other workouts that would burn more calories but I would recommend a day of housework over a day of office work for calorie burning.
So true! I wonder who made up this myth that cleaning burns calories. I am somewhat inclined to believe it was men who had lazy housewives. lol I sweat it out doing Insanity and there are no amount of dishes that will get me that sweaty. You need to keep your heart rate up for that to happen.
Probably the same person who says they get enough exercise chasing around their children all day. lol Now, that one really makes me laugh. If anything, chasing around small kids all day stresses me out enough to dive even faster into the Ben & Jerry's.
Actually, that one I have to contest, haha! I was a nanny for a short period of time, and running after kids is definitely a workout, especially if there are more than one. So is running to catch the bus while carrying a squirming toddler. Methinks it was the Ben and Jerry's that was undoing your workout.
I totally agree about that, housework is just not enough specifically if you're trying to lose weight. It just helps you to be more active but it can't be a substitute for exercise. Your whole body needs to be moving to achieve substantial results.
I owned a residential cleaning business a few years back and a person does get a major workout this way. I think the reason for there being such a difference as far as burning calories is that when a person is doing it for a living and cleaning anywhere from 2 to 10 hours a day then they're getting a genuine workout because when you're cleaning professionally you're also moving pretty much non-stop until the job is completed. I did stay in great shape too, whereas, now I do have to work out since I'm no longer performing this type of work. I decided to go back into the computer field because house cleaning is hard work and it's also very hard on the back. You do get a great cardio workout going up and downstairs that's for certain.
Meh.. I don't think running is as great for you as people think. I'd rather not. I'd also rather not work out at a gym. I eat real foods, I don't count calories in and calories out.. it's the overall picture that matters. Exercise is for muscle health, among other things.. if what you put in your body is meant to be eaten, you won't need exercise for weight loss... you'll only need it for joint and muscle health etc. Food and exercise have completely different jobs.. together they're great. But exercising for the most calories burned isn't healthy in the long term in my opinion. It's for "use it or lose it" in a sense lol.
This is neither totally agreeable nor disagreeable. But as far as house hold work is considered it is damn sure that it consumes more number of calories and serves as a cardiovascular exercise when we work out with huge windows and while cleaning a large area of the floor. It just don't involve only standing work but involves a lot of cardiovascular too as we bend, stretch and do all sorts of forms. This is more than working out in a gym when my personal work is considered. Climbing up and down the stairs is undoubtedly the best form of exercise which could be done at home. I also have to do this regularly in my daily work. So I think the combination of both gives out the best results upon which we could rely.
It helps a little, but it is not going to help much. At least it is better than just sitting on your butt all day. But I agree that just doing common housework is not a "work-out". People are not burning enough calories that way to call it a true work-out, but every little bit helps.
