Vacuum your way to a slimmer you
Got a few extra pounds to shed after Christmas? Don't join a gym – grab your vacuum cleaner instead!
NHS guidelines* advise 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise every day to keep healthy. This may sound like a lot, but moderate exercise can include activities that you already do regularly, such as walking, gardening or housework. So don’t despair that you haven't got time for the gym, there are plenty of jobs around the home that can help you fight the flab instead.
Some household chores are more energetic and so better for burning calories than others. Hanging out clothes or making beds only burns around the same calories as walking (20 calories per 10 minutes), while mopping floors or vacuuming burns twice this amount.
Check out our housework calorie counter to see which are the best calorie-busting chores:
Vax housework calorie counter
| Activity | Calories used per 10 mins |
|---|---|
| Vacuum cleaning | 40 |
| Mopping the floor | 40 |
| Cleaning windows | 35 |
| Dusting | 30 |
| Washing the dishes | 30 |
| Ironing | 26 |
| Cleaning out the fridge | 22 |
| Hanging clothes on the line | 22 |
| Making beds | 20 |
| Grocery shopping | 15 |
Tone up with your upright
The weight of an upright vacuum cleaner or carpet washer provides great resistance for toning your upper back, legs and posterior. To get the best work out while you vacuum, push the vacuum firmly but slowly forward as far as you can to achieve a good stretch, then slowly pull back.
And as just twenty-five minutes of vacuuming burns off the same calories as a glass of wine, why not sit back and relax in your fresh, clean home with a guilt-free glass!
