DO EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES COUNT AS EXERCISE?

DO EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES COUNT AS EXERCISE?Burn, baby, burn — calories that is. We all burn fuel during our daily routine, and there’s even a catchy name for it: non-exercise activity thermogenesis (or NEAT) [1]. It’s the energy we use for everything from walking up stairs to texting, and with a little imagination, it’s easy to turn mundane activities into calorie burning opportunities — no gym required.

Can these NEAT-o activities really count as exercise, though? Don't give up the gym membership yet. For most people, daily activities such as shopping and housework don’t get the body working hard enough to count towardrecommended exercise guidelines. (The Center for Disease Control suggests two-and-a-half hours of aerobic activity every week, along with muscle strengthening activities on two or more of those days.) Still, every little bit helps [2]. Read on to see how to make these everyday activities count even more.

EVERYDAY I’M HUSTLIN' — YOUR ACTION PLAN

Photo by Kristine Lockwood

From the classroom to the laundry room, opportunities to get active are all around us. By turning off the autopilot and tackling everyday tasks with a little more speed, energy, and intensity, the usual to-dos can get a sneaky calorie-burning boost. Here’s how:

• Shop around. Whether it’s shopping for groceries or a new pair of shoes, shopping means walking, and walking burns calories (we’re talking 120 to 150 per half hour) [3]. Ready to boost the burn? Park as far away from the store’s entrance as possible to add some distance to the walk, and just say no to elevators and escalators. Bonus: Taking the stairs can burn more calories per minute than jogging. Try two at a time to really get things moving.