Previous Health Articles:  May 2010, June 2010

   JULY IS SPRING CLEANING TO SPRING TRAINING MONTH

The job of cleaning house is never finished.
Because cleaning is a never-ending job, why
not make the most of it ? Turn cleaning into a
workout! A 2005 study published in the
British Journal of +utrition showed that Brits
burn more than 50,000 calories a year—nearly
15 pounds of fat—just by cleaning their
homes.

Like any physical activity, housework can
burn calories and tone muscles if you do it
correctly. Doctors and fitness professionals
now believe that short bouts of relatively mild
exercise can help improve your fitness level—
especially for those who do little to no physical
activity or are just getting started. Just 30
minutes a day of moderate activity can bring
some legitimate health benefits.

If you are going to count this as exercise you
have to do more than just stroll around and flip
the feather duster here and there. Try to
accumulate at least 10 minutes straight to
count it as exercise—and really work it! Make
a conscious effort to pick up the pace and
move continuously. For the greatest fitness
benefit, try to accumulate more steps and
movement by leaving all the cleaning supplies
in the cabinet and making extra trips up and
down the stairs, for example. If you have to
make an extra trip to the other room to get the
dustpan for the broom, that’s what adds up.

Here are some tips to help transform your
daily housework into a daily workout:

Lunge. When you vacuum, perform some
walking lunges. Remember to keep your
knees directly above your ankles, your back
straight and your abs engaged. You will
know this is working by feeling it in your
thighs and glutes.

Go big. Instead of making small circles when
scrubbing the shower or cleaning windows,
make long, sweeping movements. For
example, when you are cleaning the shower
door, take long swipes from top to bottom,
squatting (not bending!) to reach the lower
spots. This will give you a hearty shoulder
workout and engage your entire lower body.

Clean to the beat! Turn on the radio or your
iPod while you clean. Feel the beat and
dance around a bit. Make sure to use some
fast music so you'll be encouraged to pick
up your speed and break a sweat.

Step it up. Use a stepladder or step stool when
you need to reach high areas. You can
simulate your own step aerobics class this
way!

Twist and shout. When you are loading or
unloading your dishwasher or dryer, add a
twist-and-reach move. This movement will
serve to strengthen your core and target that
"love handle" area around the obliques.

Take a swing. Instead of vacuuming your
rugs, take them outside, hang them up, pick
up your broom and swing away to beat out
dust and dirt. This will involve more
muscles than vacuuming alone and help you
get some fresh air.

Take the stairs. Instead of making one trip up
and down, make multiple trips with the
clean or dirty clothes. Remember, the goal
here is to make more work for yourself, not
less.

Not everyone is convinced that housework
will do much to help you shape up; however,
approaching cleaning and chores this way will
certainly burn more calories and help improve
mobility. The American Heart Association
does count housework as moderate exercise.

The number of calories you burn during
housework depends on several different
factors (your current fitness level, your
weight, gender, and how hard you're working).
Most general estimates say that a 150-pound
person will burn approximately 250 calories
for an hour of general cleaning, which is
higher than the calorie burn of a leisurely
2-mile walk. Remember that every little bit of
activity helps, so make the most of your time
and you'll end up with more than just the
satisfaction of a clean house. You'll also have
a healthier body!

Taken from: www.sparkpeople.com

Mary Ann Stone, RN, CLM

Minister for Pastoral Care

and Health Ministries