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Burning
Calories with Everyday Activities
People who are too busy working and running a
household to hit the health club or the treadmill can stop feeling guilty.
A decade of cardiovascular studies by a creative research team offers a
simple and natural alternative. Their findings make it easy for anyone to
look at their daily tasks and build a solid
exercise routine into their everyday lives.
Over the past decade, studies have proven that gardening,
housework, mowing the lawn, washing the car and climbing stairs are all
great ways to burn calories and reap the health benefits of physical
activity.
In the 10 minutes it takes to read this article, you’ll expend about 15
calories, assuming you’re sitting upright and weigh at least 150 pounds.
If you’re reading this while lying down, you’ll burn less. If you plan to
spend the next hour leaning over a casino table, you’ll burn 156 calories.
Praying to hit the jackpot? Praying while kneeling is 68 calories.
Researchers are quick to point out that the values they arrive at — though
reasonably consistent — are by no means absolute, because of myriad
individual differences in how an activity may be performed.
For example, two people playing tennis might burn calories very
differently. One might play with great intensity while another might play
the game walking, and yet another might dawdle at the net. A player with
an efficient stroke may burn fewer calories than one who flails around. A
heavy person will burn more calories than a thin one performing the same
activity.
The point to keep in mind about such calorie estimates is that although
the figures aren’t precisely accurate, they’re useful for comparing
activities.
I am looking at something on my wall that says jogging 6 miles an hour at
150 pounds burns 11.6 calories a minute. Mowing grass burns 4.1
calories per minute. When I’m jogging, am I really expending 11.6 calories
per minute? I don’t know that for sure, but I do know I’m burning more
calories jogging than I would be mowing the lawn.
Ironically, the steady infiltration of time- and labor-saving devices into
homes and the workplace over the last century — which are designed to make
our lives easier — have made our lives a little too easy. Cars have
replaced walking, manual tasks have been replaced by computers and
television has tethered us to the couch. What we’ve gained in convenience
we’ve lost in physical activity.
Huge demographic shifts have also contributed to a decline in daily
activity. A century ago, the majority of the U.S. population lived in
rural areas, many of them farmers. Today, about 80 percent of the
population is squeezed into urban areas. Unfortunately, the result is a
sedentary society.
We should all treat exercise as an opportunity instead of a punishment.
Use a hand mower, instead of a gas mower. Wash the car and do housework
yourself instead of hiring someone to do it!
Winning the battle of the bulge isn't rocket science. If you want to lose
it, you have to move it. The good news is that you can boost the calories
you burn every day with regular physical activity.
This doesn't necessarily mean you have to sweat it out for hours at the
gym.
Many experts now say it's actually the little things you do daily that can
really make a difference. Here's the number of calories a 150-pound man or
woman would burn by doing any of these activities for a half hour. (If
you weigh less, you burn fewer calories; if you weigh more, you burn
more.)
Posting this chart on the broom closet, garage or refrigerator door may
not only bring new gusto to home and leisure tasks. It may also help
reduce exercise anxiety.
Exercise calories burned per half hour:
Leisure
Dancing 150
Horseback riding 140
Stretching or yoga 140
Walking (3 mph) 120
Bowling 100
Cooking 80
Sports
Swimming laps, slowly to moderately 270
Aerobics, high impact 240
Roller-skating 240
Jogging 240
Tennis 240
Bicycling, light 200
Aerobics, low impact 170
Softball 170
Golf 150
Ping Pong 140
Around the house
Gardening 170
Cleaning the house, heavy (washing the car, washing windows, etc.)
150
Mowing the lawn (power mower) 150
Raking leaves 140
Food shopping (with a grocery cart) 120
Walking the dog 120
Cleaning the house, light (dusting, etc.) 80
Finding time for physical activity can be tough. Setting aside enough time
for sleep - let alone exercise - can be a challenge. Yet even the busiest
people can find time for fitness. The key is making it convenient.
Consider these practical suggestions.
Make the most of your time at home:
Time spent at home doesn't have to be "couch potato" time. To fit more
physical activity into your home life.
Wake up early. Get up
30 minutes earlier than you normally do and use the extra time to walk on
your treadmill or take a brisk walk around
the neighborhood. Some research suggests that people who exercise in the
morning are more likely than others to stick with it. However, if you're
too stiff in the morning, wait to exercise until later in the day.
Make household chores count. Mop the floor, scrub the bathtub or do
other housework at a pace fast enough to get your heart pumping. Outdoor
work counts as well. Mowing the lawn with a push mower is a great way to
burn calories. Raking and hoeing strengthen your arms and back, and
digging will work your arms and legs.
Be active while watching TV. Use hand weights, ride a stationary bike
or do a stretching routine during your favorite shows. Get off the couch
to change the channel or adjust the volume instead of using the remote
control.
Involve the whole family. Take group walks before or after dinner.
Play catch. Ride your bikes or swim. Try to build up to about 30 minutes
of continuous physical activity three to four times a week. If you are
pressed for time, you can exercise in shorter bursts.
Get your dog into the act. Take daily walks with Fido or Fluffy. If
you don't have a dog, you can always borrow one. I'm sure your next door
neighbor would be more than happy to lend you their dog for a while! An
enthusiastic dog may give you the motivation you need to lace up your
walking shoes.
Make it an escape
Sometimes being at home can be a distraction. If you prefer to get your
exercise away from home, you might:
Get social. You may
do better with the encouragement of others. Try a dance club, hiking group
or golf league.
Join a team. Sign up for a softball, soccer or volleyball team through
your company or your local parks and recreation department. Making a
commitment to a team is a great motivator.
Join a fitness club. Sign up for a group exercise class at a nearby
fitness club. The cost may be an incentive to stick with it.
Plan active outings. Make a date with a friend to hike in a local
park, or take a family trip to the zoo.
Be active while running errands. When you go to the mall or grocery
store, park toward the back of the lot and walk the extra distance. If you
have a little extra time, walk inside for a lap or two before you start
shopping. Keep a pair of walking shoes in your car so that you're ready
when you find a few minutes for exercise.
Work out at work
To fit in more physical activity while you're on the job:
Make the most of your
commute. If possible walk or bike to work. If you ride the bus, get
off a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way.
Take the stairs whenever you can. If you have a meeting on another
floor, try getting off a few floors early and use the stairs.
Take fitness breaks. Rather than hanging out in the lounge with coffee
and the temptation to snack, take a short walk.
Start a lunchtime walking group with your co-workers. The regular
routine and the support of your co-workers may help you stick with the
program.
Schedule physical activity as you would any other appointment during the
day. Don't change your exercise plans for every interruption that
comes along. Remind yourself that physical activity is important, too.
If you travel for work, plan ahead. Bring your jump-rope or choose a
hotel that has fitness facilities. If you're stuck in an airport waiting
for a plane, grab your bags and take a walk.
There's no single best way to fit physical activity
into your day. Your lifestyle, job and family responsibilities will point
to the most convenient time and place for fitness. Do what works for you —
and make daily physical activity a habit you keep.
Other Tips for Burning Calories
Try to be active while
watching TV, even if it's just doing housework
Stand and let someone else have your seat when riding the bus or subway.
Go out and walk, roller blade, or play pool (something active) instead of
going out to dinner.
If possible, ride your bike to work or the gym once or twice a week.
Play with your kids instead of just watching them. Even if it's just
having a tea party on the floor, they'll love it and you'll be more active
than you would otherwise be just sitting on the couch.
Walk your dog instead of just letting him outside to roam.
Mow your lawn with a push mower.
Walk in place, do some leg lifts, stretches or sit ups while watching TV.
Instead of going out for drinks after work, organize a group run or
exercise class.
Get into the habit of walking to your co-workers’ desks, rather than using
e-mail or the telephone.
As with every exercise program, be sure to check
with your doctor before starting any new activity.
I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association,
Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association. You
can listen to me every Friday morning at 9:40 am
on TK99 with Gomez and Dave the official radio station of Champions
Fitness. If you have a question and/or topic you would like me to discuss
please e-mail me at
championsfitness.com.
If you would like to set up a free consultation with one of our certified
fitness professionals please call Champions Fitness at 452-5522.... today!
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