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To get in a good workout, you may think you need to pump iron like Hercules or trek up an endless imaginary mountain on a Stairmaster. That’s not the whole truth.

While those are definitely wonderful ways to work out, you can get all the benefits of hitting the gym while doing less glamorous tasks – cleaning, cooking and shopping.

Now you can think of those mundane must-dos as exhilarating exercises. See how these challenging chores can offer outstanding health benefits.

Cleaning – Fire up the vacuum or sweep the floors to burn around 150 calories per hour. Bonus – an immaculate house.

Cooking – Chopping up fresh vegetables or washing that stack of dirty dishes each burn about 150 calories per hour. Bonus – a delicious dinner or spotless kitchen.

Shopping – Next time you’re pushing a grocery cart or window-shopping for that pair of must-have shoes, you’ll be burning as many as 300 calories per hour. Bonus – new, stylish wardrobe.

Shoveling ­– If you live in a region that gets dumped on with fluffy white stuff, you’ll be burning nearly 400 calories per hour next time you’re clearing off your driveway. Bonus – the perfect mound for King of the Hill.

Decorating – It’s not just boring labor that burns calories – fun activities count too. Painting and decorating your home can burn more than 300 calories per hour.  Bonus – fancy digs.

For extra calorie burning points, just pump up the jams. Listen to music and dance while doing these activities – well … maybe not while chopping vegetables – to burn off an extra 300 calories per hour.

Next time you have a mile-long list of household chores, imagine the calories melting away. Your waistline – and home – will thank you.

Sources

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/calories-burned-doing-household-chores.html#b

http://healthandwellbeingindance.blogspot.com/2008/11/listening-to-music-burn-more-calories.html

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/tips/expert-advice/how-many-calories-do-you-burn-with-household-chores/

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