If cleaning our homes is something that we must do – and it really is, no matter how much we hate it – we might as well let it do us some good at the same time. However, there is little benefit to our health in taking a slow and laidback approach to cleaning; to burn calories, the cleaning should at least be vigorous and raise our heart rate a little.
Research has shown that cleaning your entire home thoroughly (and somewhat vigorously), can help you to burn more calories than if you had run a marathon of at least 5 Kilometres. Combining a few simple household tasks that we often perform without even thinking about them, can lead to the burning of up to 600 calories, without even having to step outside or venture to the gym.
Tests recently conducted showed that those who spent just 2 hours cleaning their homes – dusting, mopping, vacuuming and cleaning windows – burnt a total of 602 calories. When compared to the calories burnt during a marathon of 5 kilometres – which amounted to almost 400 –cleaning came out as the clear winner in terms of calories burnt and effort put in.
When you consider that many busy folks don’t have the time to put on their running gear and set off on a marathon, but most spend at least a couple of hours a week cleaning, it really is a no brainer. While other forms of exercise clearly have their positive aspects, and many people enjoy going to the gym, swimming or running marathons, if sports and outside activities are not your thing, then simply shift your energies to cleaning your home and not only will you burn calories and help keep yourself fit, but your home will look the cleanest it has ever looked!
That said, it’s important that you do put some elbow grease into your cleaning routine, as simply passing a duster over your ornaments or wiping your kitchen surfaces, will not be a sufficient cardio vascular activity, and will not raise your heartbeat. Not only will a vigorous cleaning schedule keep your heart rate up, but it will help you to tone your entire body too, and you will begin to build muscles and look a lot fitter in general.
So, when doing your regular cleaning tasks, try to ensure that you focus on using all your muscles, even if it means sucking in your tummy and clenching your buttocks! Do this every time you clean something or give your home a spring clean, and you’ll begin to look and feel fitter in next to no time.
If you’re not interested in keeping your home clean or keeping fit, then there is an even simpler solution; use the services of a professional cleaning company and have them keep your home clean while you sit back and relax!