Hello again, savvy savers! It’s time again for another Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style post!
As always, this series will focusing on ways to live a healthier, more active lifestyle while be able to afford clean, organic, obtainable foods! I believe this series can be worthwhile for many, who like myself, wish to get more in shape, not through crash-dieting but by small attainable lifestyle changes! With that said, here is where I am currently: I have a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. I am looking to lose 60lbs., find affordable non-gym membership options for working out, and change the way I consume food; this includes meals, snacks, and splurges!
Here’s where I am today:
- I am 32 years young
- 5’6”,
- Weight 191 lbs; I am down two pounds since last week.
Ways I’ve used to workout this past week:
- I walk my dogs.
- Continued yoga and meditation.
- Using a pedometer
- Portioning my meals
- Measure myself monthly using seamstress tape
So for those who may know know, I used to be in shape. I played tennis, took jazz, ballet lessons, and would walk for miles on end at the beach. That, of course, was then. That was before life piled up. A decade of graduations, working, saving, relocating, marrying, and general laziness began to take its toll, on my health and life.
For this weeks Battle-of-the-Bulge, Budget Style post, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite ways to exercise, and that is with basic, everyday housework! Consider the amount of time you spend each week completing the following, and you will see how much extra pounds you will be able to shed!
Here is a simple guide as to how many calories you can earn by completing each for 15 minutes:
- Carpet sweeping, sweeping floors: 39 calories
- Mopping: 43 calories
- Multiple household tasks all at once, light effort: 26 calories
- Dusting: 26 calories
- Washing dishes, While standing: 22 calories
- Vacuuming: 43 calories
- Butchering/Freezer Cooking Prep: 85 calories
- Cooking and Canning: 17 calories
- Serving food: 26 calories
- Feeding animals: 26 calories
- Putting away groceries: 26 calories
- Carrying groceries upstairs: 111 calories
- Food shopping: 22 calories
- Ironing: 22 calories
- Doing laundry: 17 calories
- Putting away clothes: 22 calories
- Making the bed: 17 calories
- Moving furniture: 85 calories
- Scrubbing floors: 48 calories
- Sweeping garage, sidewalk, and outside of house: 51 calories
- Watering plants: 26 calories
- Playing with children: 26 calories
- Carrying small children: 34 calories
- Elderly & Disabled Adult Care: 51 calories
- Playing with pets: 26 calories
- Bathing pets, while standing or kneeling: 43 calories
You might not relish the idea of doing household chores, but viewing and completing that tired, old vacuuming and mopping routine with gusto are as good for you as any session at the gym. These exercises will stretch and tone your muscles, and you’ll burn up to 315 calories an hour – that’s more than twice as many as you would sitting in front of the television.
And it should be remembered that since housework isn’t a good form of cardiovascular exercise, you will still need to work your heart and lungs with walking, swimming or cycling.
So, savvy savers how to you lose weight around the house? What’s your chore du jour? I’d love to hear about it below!
Here’s to better health,
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