Do Housework Count As Physical Activity?

Although they can help us burn calories, housework cannot be the only physical exercise we do, since they are not intense enough.

Housewives or those who work outside, but take advantage of the weekend to clean, have no excuses. A 2013 report reveals that these tasks do not count as sport.

However, the PURE study conducted among more than 130,000 people in 17 countries, which has been published in The Lancet magazine, ensures that any physical activity, whether recreational or not, can help prevent cardiovascular disease.

If you were wondering if housework counts as physical activity, don’t hesitate to read this article to dispel myths and learn about it at the same time.

Chores count as physical activity

If you don’t have time to go to the gym, housework cannot be considered sport. Or at least that’s what they indicate in a study done by the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.

A physical activity requires a certain expenditure of energy and must be produced by all the muscles of the body. Now, isn’t it a great move to have to remove stains from windows or wash dishes? Well, apparently not.

It is true that in some cases people do not have time to play sports. That is why they opt for more homemade actions, such as:

• Take the stairs instead of using the elevator.
• Shopping by bicycle instead of driving.

In the case of housework, although they can help us burn calories, they cannot be the only exercise or activity we do every day or week. Going to the gym for half an hour a day is not the same as sweeping the house for 30 minutes. We have to try a lot harder to make chores really benefit our bodies.

However, according to the PURE study, any physical activity we do — as long as it is vigorous and for more than 30 minutes — could help prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk of mortality.

The study was conducted in 17 countries, including some with high incomes and others with low incomes, and it was shown that both recreational and non-recreational physical activity could have beneficial effects on our health.

Daily routine at home to burn calories

Beyond the above, household chores can help you meet some of the exercise and movement needs that your body requires to look healthier.

So that’s not an excuse for not wanting to do housework either. You can burn calories in an exhaustive day of cleaning, which is associated with a reduction in weight, according to some data.

Wash windows inside and out

Your shoulders will appreciate it. Since this task is not done every day, you will need to have strength to remove the dirt on the glass. If you maintain the activity for half an hour, without lowering your arms and with circular movements, you can burn some calories. The same applies to mirrors.

Take charge of the garden

It is not only a beautiful activity because you will be in contact with nature and the outdoors. It can also be valid for doing a little exercise. To rake do the same as to sweep, to collect in the garden, squats, to water the plants, take a larger container. But most of all, whatever you do, always squat down straight.

Wash the car by hand

In addition to saving money, you will get a little exercise and even avoid the heat in summer. The movements must be long for the ceiling (it will help you stretch your back and arms). Apart from this, you will do squats to clean the tires and the lower parts.

Wash clothes by hand

It is true that the washing machine takes care of it with a very good quality. However, not all clothing can be placed in this appliance. For example, silk or cotton clothes, those worn by the baby or delicate ones. In those cases you can wash by hand. Or if you want to try harder, scrub the ones with a lot of stains with a brush. A similar movement is required to wash dishes or pots with too much grease.

With these exercises that we propose, we have the possibility of adding a little more intensity to daily tasks. This does not mean that they replace a good exercise session, it should also be supported with a balanced and healthy diet.

However, they can make a difference if we do not have the possibility or time to exercise daily. Try them and feel the difference!