5 Household Chores That Burn As Many Calories As a HIIT Workout

"I didn’t have time to go to the gym."

Sound familiar? Yep, it’s one of the most common excuses people pull for not working up a sweat. Luckily, there’s actually a better - and more productive - way to stay on top of your fitness, without even having to leave the house. It’s called cleaning.

Surprisingly, some household chores burn the same amount of calories as an intense HIIT workout. 

“High-intensity interval training is when you get your heart rate up for a period of time (say 40 seconds) and then you take a short rest (say 10-20 seconds) to recover so you can go hard again in the “intensity” phase and get the most out of the workout,” Director of Flow Athletic Ben Lucas, tells Bed Threads Journal. 

“While it’s completely up to you how hard you push yourself, there are some household chores where you can apply the same principles and get the most out of the time spent when it comes to calories burned.”

Intrigued?

Here are the five household chores that burn the most calories, all while increasing strength, stability, flexibility, and endurance. 

Keep in mind calories burned is dependent on each individual’s body and the intensity with which they perform each chore. The below is only a general guide.

5 household chores better than a HIIT workout

1. Ironing 

“Just one hour of ironing can help you burn 157 calories, which is the equivalent to 30-minutes of aerobics,” Lucas says. 

2. Mopping and vacuuming

“According to a study conducted by Wren Kitchens, people can spend up to 138-minutes every week mopping floors, which can burn around 405 calories. Additionally, vacuuming for the same amount of time can burn up to 387 calories.”

Both work as an effective upper and lower body workout, but Lucas specifically notes to focus on engaging that core with each movement to work those abs. Hello, six-pack!

You could also try adding in a few squats or lunges for some added booty and leg work. 

3. Mowing the lawn

“According to Web Med, you can burn 250-300 calories per hour mowing, and 200-400 garnering and weeding," Lucas explains.

It’s a good excuse to get outdoors and soak up some sun, too.

4. Cleaning windows

If your aim is to get toned arms and abs, start cleaning those windows. It also helps knowing you can burn up to 231 calories per hour performing the chore. Trust us, you don’t need dumbbells to feel the burn. 

5. Washing the car

Trade the drive-thru car wash for a bucket of soapy water and a sponge. 

“Washing the car by hand can help you burn around 135 calories per hour.”

Ben Lucas is the founder of Flow Athletic and Flow Athletic TV. Follow him on Instagram @ben_lucas1 and @flowathletic. 

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