You know that feeling you get when you’ve been doing the chores around the house and you’re just about winded? It feels like you’ve been vacuuming for hours, and the dishes have your heart rate up. “Welp, that’s my workout for the day,” you think to yourself as you finish folding the laundry. Simple daily activities such as household chores can add up to your daily exercise goal.
With unintentional workouts, you can complete some of your daily chores and get physical activity without going to the gym. Some daily activities we can turn into an exercise routine are known as the “daily dozen.” These activities include vacuuming, doing the dishes, dusting, folding laundry, changing bed sheets, mopping floors, walking through the neighborhood, biking outside, parking further away from work or other errands, and choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
The key to incorporating the amount of physical activity you want to meet for the day while working out “unintentionally” is to organize your day. If you know that you need to do some chores around the house and run a few errands, you can plan to complete everything within a set amount of time.
“This is great for people who can’t find the time to go to the gym. Instead of worrying about setting aside the time to work out, make the most out of your daily routine. Utilize doing your chores around the house for physical exercise. It’s also important to remember to have good form when doing chores or any source of exercise. When reaching down, use your legs for support instead of bending with the back,” Coach Marshall, Trinity Medical Weight Loss.
