Many people struggle to find time for gym workouts or structured home exercise routines. As a result, housework often becomes a substitute for physical activity.
Tasks like lifting objects, bending, or walking from room to room involve significant movement and can burn calories. But does this qualify as exercise?
How Many Calories Can Be Burned While Cleaning the House?
House cleaning activities such as sweeping, mopping, wiping surfaces, washing clothes, and organizing require energy and can cause sweating.
Research shows that tasks like sweeping or mopping for 30 minutes can burn approximately 150–200 calories, depending on factors like body weight and intensity of effort.
Can House Cleaning Be Considered Exercise?
Although house cleaning burns calories, it does not fall under the category of exercise. Instead, it is classified as NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). NEAT encompasses the energy expended on activities that are not formal exercise, such as cleaning, walking around the house, gardening, washing dishes, or even small movements like tapping your foot.
NEAT is crucial as it contributes significantly—up to 15–50%—of your total daily energy expenditure. While NEAT helps counteract the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, it does not replace the benefits of structured exercise.
Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly. This translates to about 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. Activities like cardiovascular workouts and weightlifting provide unique benefits that NEAT alone cannot deliver.
How to Maximize Calorie Burn Through NEAT
If your goal is to burn more calories or lose weight but you have limited time for exercise, NEAT activities can be optimized to increase your overall energy expenditure.
Here are some ways to enhance calorie burn through NEAT:
- Choose to walk to nearby destinations whenever possible.
- Park your vehicle farther from your destination to add more steps to your day.
- Skip the elevator and take the stairs instead.
- Stand up every 30–60 minutes to stretch or take a short walk.
- Sweep or mop with more vigor or pick up the pace.
- Stand or move around while watching TV, talking on the phone, or waiting for something.
- Opt for grocery shopping at the market or supermarket instead of online shopping.
- Playing fetch or running around with pets.
Incorporating NEAT activities like house cleaning into your routine can boost metabolism, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and improve mood.
For those looking to maximize calorie burn or create a weight-loss plan, consulting a doctor or fitness expert is highly recommended. You can also use the Ai Care app for health consultations, available for download on the App Store or Play Store.
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- dr Nadia Opmalina