It’s tough to feel motivated to work out every day, especially if you don’t enjoy exercising. If going to the gym or for a run isn’t your idea of fun, work harder at burning calories by doing everyday activities that will improve your health and productivity at work and at home. When you move around more, just doing ordinary daily activities other than exercise, sleeping, or eating, your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) increases. This means that you increase the rate of calories that your body is burning without having to deliberately work out or exercise. Keep track of calories burned by using an online calorie counter that includes a range of activities other than traditional exercises.
Clean Your Home
Cleaning your home can be a fantastic workout. A deep clean consisting of scrubbing, sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming can burn loads of calories depending on how vigorously you work. Dusting, reorganizing, and doing laundry can keep you moving quickly and strengthen your core muscles as you lift and pack. Pump music with a fast beat while cleaning to speed up your pace and energy levels.
Move at Work
Spending hours at a desk or behind a computer screen is completely draining. Set a timer to encourage yourself to get up once an hour, to stretch and walk around. Take the stairs as often as possible and park your car a little further away to encourage more walking. Taking a walk during lunch or having walking meetings with colleagues is an ideal way to burn more calories at work. Using a standing desk burns more calories than sitting at a desk, but studies published by the Department of Health and Physical Activity at the University of Pittsburgh have shown that there isn’t a huge difference in calories burned. However, a standing desk can help to reduce back and shoulder pain and it’s still better than sitting for long hours.
Go Outside
Getting outside is a great way to burn calories and improve your mood at the same time. Take Fido for a walk, or if you don’t have a Fido, volunteer at your local pet shelter to walk rescue dogs. Pruning, weeding, planting, and mowing the lawn will burn loads of calories and your garden will look great afterwards. Washing your car will work most of your muscle groups and you’ll burn calories at the same time.
Act Like a Kid
Little kids tend to move around a lot. Spend some time playing with your kids and you’re guaranteed to burn those extra calories. Throwing a ball, jumping on a trampoline, or playing a simple game of catch or hide-and-seek will make you healthier and provide you with some great bonding time with your family. Use trips to the beach or the park to play a friendly game of frisbee or volleyball and you’ll have fun without knowing you’re even working out.
Drink Coffee or Green Tea
Studies have shown that caffeine in coffee and green tea can help boost your resting metabolic rate[2] and increase fat burning[3]. Caffeine may also suppress your appetite, but one study suggests that this only occurs in men, as women tend to preserve energy stores when the sympathetic nervous system is activated[4]. It’s also a stimulant, as it blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine, which makes you feel more energized and alert and helps to increase physical activity.
Be Restless
People who fidget can burn up to ten times more calories than people who sit still, according to multiple studies. This includes bouncing your leg while sitting, tapping feet, rocking, squirming, and pacing. Needlework and knitting also burns calories, so get creative while binge-watching your favorite series.
Exercising regularly requires a lot of discipline. Cardio workouts and weight-bearing sessions are obviously the gold standard for keeping fit, but on the days that you just can’t get to exercise, make sure that you keep moving and burn those extra calories to stay healthy.