PrintBy Shawn McKee
eDiets Contributor
Exercise will help you reach your weight-loss goals — we know that. But a recent Scottish study of roughly 20,000 adults also found that exercise reduces stress, eases anxiety, fights depression, and boosts happiness and energy levels. The study found that participants could get these benefits with as little as one 20-minute workout per week.
While we recommend more than one workout per week for weight loss, anything is a good start. In fact, you don’t even have to hit the gym to burn calories! The study found that almost any type of physical activity works: cleaning your house, gardening or brisk walking.
If you can’t fit in a full-on workout, here’s a list of activities that will burn around 100 calories. As an added bonus, most of these motions have to be done anyway, so by tweaking them just slightly you’ll be burning more calories while cleaning your house, yard or car.
How to Clean and Burn Calories
Do these chores at a brisk pace. Try not to take breaks and use some elbow grease to get things sparkling. It might also help to turn on some tunes and time yourself, trying to do it a little faster each week.
Washing Windows — 30 minutes will burn about 150 calories.
Doing the Dishes — Skip the dishwasher and do them yourself to burn 75 calories in 30 minutes.
Rearranging Your Room — 30 minutes of moving furniture burns 225 calories.
Vacuuming — Burn about 100 calories in 30 minutes.
Painting — Tired of your beige bedroom? Pick a new color and burn roughly 100 calories per 20 minutes of painting (think Karate Kid).
Outdoor Fat-Burning
Cutting the Grass — Mowing the lawn will burn 160 calories in 30 minutes, as long as you’re pushing the mower yourself.
Washing the Car — Burn about 150 calories in just 30 minutes (bikini optional).
Gardening/Raking Leaves — The digging and raking you do are big-time calorie burners. You can burn up to 100 calories in just 15 minutes!
Biking — A leisurely bike ride (approximately 10 mph) will burn more than 100 calories in 40 minutes. Grab the family and get pedaling!
Swimming — No need to go all Michael Phelps here. Just a 15-minute slow swim will burn about 100 calories.
Frisbee — A fun 30-minute Frisbee toss with your kids or friends will burn about 100 calories and hardly seem like exercise at all.
Pushing a Baby Stroller — Pushing a stroller burns about 60 calories in 20 minutes. Don’t have a baby? I’m sure your relative, friend or neighbor will be happy to lend you theirs.
Walking — It’s one of the simplest ways to burn calories because you don’t need anything to get started. Fifteen minutes of brisk walking will burn approximately 100 calories. A brisk daily walk at lunch time or after work will make a difference.
Dancing — Who doesn’t love to shake it? 20 minutes of dancing at a moderate pace will burn 100 calories. As Lady Gaga says, “Just Dance!”
*All of these numbers are based on a 150-pound individual.
Of course, regular workouts can be fast and effective, too! Try these quick fat-burning workouts to get in shape quick!
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