We all know doing chores burns calories but how much? How can we burn more indoors and boost our moody winter blues mentality too? How can we maintain our all around health while staying put? Cloudy gray winter days make us tired and sleepy, too uninspired to move. Immobility brings on melancholy, leading to seasonal blues. Winter’s frigid temperatures de-motivates us from getting out of our cozy homes to go to the gym, but be reassured that we can burn calories indoors and boost our mentality with chores. Blast out and attack a few household duties to get back into better spirits.
City wide closed down snowy conditions makes going to the gym cumbersome if not impossible. It takes as much time, if not more, prepping to face the frozen elements than the time we’re in the gym. First, we change into our sweat working out outfits, only to have to wash them later or pack them in our gym bag to carry. Second, comes layers covering any exposed skin. Boots get sloppy in the sand, salt and snow mix. Of course apply the gym rule: Please don’t wear outside shoes on the machines. Then don’t forget, sitting in your car while it warms up, if you’re one of the unfortunate ones who doesn't have an automatic car starter.
Reconsider doing a few chores in the home to raise your body temperature and mood. I wonder if the Gods of Nature designed the winter slowdown to captivate us inside, forcing us to deal with our home base mess. Our hu'man'caves throughout the year settled, collected dust, and accumulated piles of stuff with mental labels of ‘I’ll do that later’ since last spring. Facing you, reminding you it’s still there, hasn’t gone anywhere, so fight inertia, stay in motion by simply conquering the mound.
Self talk your way to know the most routine chores burns calories and getting organized will feel rewarding.
According to the website www.healthstatus.com calculates:
For someone weighing 140 lbs to maintain, these chores can burn this many calories:
Brushing teeth 5 Min 13 Calories
Cooking 40 Min 112 Calories
Ironing 10 Min 23 Calories
Mopping 15 Min 71 Calories
Rearranging furniture 20 Min 140 Calories
Showering 20 Min 89 Calories
Sitting/Resting 30 Min 33 Calories
Talking on phone 30 Min 33 Calories
Walking up stairs 2 Min 17 Calories
Writing 30 Min 33 Calories
*A good suggestion to burn more is to combine some exercises while doing these routine chores such as: dancing, jogging or marching in place, leg lift reps, squats, and lunges. Or even tighten, hold, and release a few muscles while sitting.
Psychologically, the feeling of being organized and clean brings a good feeling of accomplishment and relief. Relief you can find your things with function and order. It’s healthy to throw out, or put things in organized out of sight storage, those things that have a negative memory anchor so you can move on to better. Looking back at all your stuff can give you the opportunity to reflect on growth and be prepared for new experiences. Cleaning out the clutter helps clear fresh space for new memories.
So, even if you can’t get the chance to run in place like a caged hamster on a machine, there’s ways you can still get the exercise and organization you need by cleaning. Add a few more body movements to burn more calories and attack a few tasks on your built up to do list to balance your insides when the outside is too cold to deal with.
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