A full time housewife is as demanding a job as regular office work. There is much more to housework than meets the eye and surprisingly, it can also help you keep fit. The one mistake we make is the novelty attached to gym workouts when corresponding physical activity is being performed at home without you knowing it. If as a housewife, you’re worried about not getting enough time to hit the gym, then worry not because here are 5 ways you can get workouts from housework. By performing your household tasks according to the guidelines below, you remain in good health and get a great workout every day.
Waxing your floors or car from a spray is easy as it requires little effort. But why do that? Remember the older version of the “karate Kid” WAX ON WAX OFF?? Waxing from a tin requires more effort and pressure. Continuous strokes and sweeps of your hand will give you a great cardio workout. The resistance pressure involved will also give your muscles a workout.
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If your home has two storeys, then perform various household tasks at intervals. After dusting and cleaning in the ground floor, run upstairs and complete work pending in the second storey. In this manner you enjoy an extended cardio by alternating activities akin to workouts. In fact by performing such tasks with increased pace and intensity, you give your body a regular HIIT workout. (High intensity interval training). Ensure that you take short breaks and rest in between tasks.
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You need not make mundane tasks like vacuuming, cleaning and dusting boring. Put on some great workout music, pump up the volume and have a blast working out from housework. Even breaking out into dance would be beneficial as that would mean a great aerobics workout. It’s all a matter of perspective but one which ultimately requires an equal effort as working out.
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A kitchen is the last place you would want to be in summer but sweating it out in the kitchen burns calories. Wear light clothing while working in the kitchen and just go about your kitchen tasks, chopping, peeling, cutting and cooking. Knead your own dough as it requires movement and pressure which will strengthen your arms through resistance activity.
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While sweeping and mopping, your body goes through several stretching and lunging movements. While doing so, try and mimic a workout by stretching in a way that won’t injure or result in strained muscles. If you really want good workout from housework, then go on a cleaning spree of fans, windows and furniture. Start cleaning all the nooks and crannies you’ve been neglecting thus far. Stretching oxygenates your muscles and increases joint flexibility. It is also good for bones and prevents problems like joint pain.
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Workouts from housework result in activity that provides you similar benefits as workouts in a gym. Housework is a good opportunity to get into shape and keep your home clean in the bargain. Here are some household activities and how many calories burned from them.
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