Making time in a daily routine for proper exercise can present a real challenge. Whether you’re the owner of a brick-and-mortar establishment, work in an office, or even run your own remote company from home, scheduling much-needed self-care can be tricky. Luckily, there are numerous ways that anyone can factor small cardio exercises into everyday chores. This can be a great way to substitute mandatory household tasks for a daily workout routine. In fact, most regular chores can be used to boost metabolism, raise your heart rate, and promote weight loss. This is particularly helpful when it comes to abdominal fat, or “belly fat,” which can often seem impossible to lose!
Here, we will look at a few of the best common household tasks that can include major health benefits. If you’ve been struggling to make an hour each day to hit the gym, it may be worth your time to pick up a broom or dust rag. When it comes to getting your heart pumping and muscles working, these four tasks can have major benefits for your whole body.
1. Sweeping and Vacuuming
When people think of weight loss and cardio exercise, they often imagine advanced high-intensity interval training (HIIT). These types of workouts can help sweat pour off the body but can be difficult. While it’s true that such intense training can be an effective way to slim a waistline, there are easier alternatives. Before you begin, consider what exercise burns the most belly fat. In general, fat loss is a combination of proper diet, enough sleep, and any form of physical activity. Just ask any personal trainer and they’ll agree that low-impact workouts can be just as effective if done properly. With that in mind, the best way to rack up steps while you’re at home is to pick up a broom or vacuum and give your house or apartment a thorough cleaning. Aside from the basic movement of walking around for an extended period of time, the periodic bending to pick up debris is a healthy stretch for your abdominal muscles, while the activity itself helps combat heart disease.
2. Dusting and Polishing
Another physical activity around the house with similar health benefits is polishing the household’s many objects. While this is another low-impact exercise, this also requires walking around and racking up those much-needed steps on your feet. As a slow activity including cardio and using your entire body to bend and stretch, you’ll still end up working your core muscles. Even using high-end cleaning equipment, such as STIHL Battery-Powered Tools, requires a certain amount of muscle strength and resistance training, which has even more health benefits. As a good idea to burn calories, making your home sparkling clean is a perfect activity.
3. Rearranging the Furniture
While the previous two suggestions certainly constitute proper exercise, they do burn fewer calories than other, higher-intensity activities. If you’re looking to boost endurance for longer workouts outside the home, then some tasks like resistance training and weight lifting are in order. For this, feel free to roll up your sleeves and consider rearranging the furniture around your home. If this task seems daunting, or if you’re already pleased with the layout of your home, try moving the couches, chairs, and tables when you sweep or vacuum. By adding this additional resistance into your cleaning routine, you can add natural body weight.
4. Outdoor Yardwork
Perhaps the very best exercise available while working around your home is to take your exercise outdoors. Along with a healthy diet, getting some sun and fresh air is an immediate mood-booster, as well as a booster for your endurance and overall wellness. No matter the type of exercise, be it raking, cutting the grass, cleaning the home’s exterior, or even gardening, there are many incredible health benefits to be found right at home!
