You don’t always need to hit the gym to stay in shape. Watching sports can burn just as many calories as playing them, according to a study by Loughborough University. Here are some everyday activities that can help you burn calories without a gym membership.
Mowing the lawn: Using a push mower can burn around 400 calories per hour. It works your back, glutes, hips, core, hamstrings, triceps, and shoulders. To burn even more calories, alternate using single arms to push the mower.
Playing with kids: Activities like jumping, playing chase, throwing, catching, and pushing swings can burn around 356 calories per hour. Keep moving and avoid resting to keep your heart rate up, similar to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout.
Driving: Believe it or not, driving a manual car can burn around 250 calories per hour. The small and precise movements involved can boost hand-eye coordination, similar to martial arts like tai chi. To burn more calories, try dancing or moving to music in your seat.
Having a hot bath: Lying in a 40°C bath for an hour can be as effective as a one-hour walk, boosting your core temperature and metabolic rate. It can also lower blood sugar levels. To enhance the calorie-burning effect, keep the hot water topped up.
Making beds: Changing the bed can burn up to 300 calories per hour for a family of four. It provides a good stretch and bend workout, similar to a brisk walk or yoga session. To burn more calories, start by ironing the sheets to blast calories while standing.
Washing the car: Washing and buffing your car can burn around 400 calories per hour, equivalent to an hour of rowing. Squatting to polish and buff the wheels can help you burn even more calories.
Shopping: Going for a weekly food shop can burn around 300 calories per hour, similar to cycling. Browsing and moving around the store can help improve your stamina, balance, coordination, and leg strength. To engage your upper body muscles, carry your bags home instead of using a cart.
These everyday activities can be a fun and effective way to stay active and burn calories without the need for a gym membership. So next time you’re looking to get moving, consider incorporating some of these tasks into your daily routine for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.