I wrote last week about pulling something in my hip and how important it was to rest and recover from injuries. As it turned out, a second doctor’s visit revealed that my little injury was actually more severe than I originally thought. The pain wasn’t really subsiding, which is understandable in retrospect when I learned I had dislocated my hip.
Still, I have become so accustomed to physical activity and daily exercise that I thought I’d go crazy without it. (The sheer irony of that from me—a former “professional couch potato”—is priceless.)
So I had to implement some creative strategies to get in some “light exercise” while not totally disregarding my doctor’s orders of rest and recovery.
I realized that interspersed with the physical therapy treatments I received, I could do some things around the house that could actually constitute physical activity. And even though they weren’t horribly taxing, I figured that they had to burn some calories, right? So a little internet research (via the Yahoo! Health) revealed the following:
- Taking care of a child for an hour burns 184 calories
- Vigorous cleaning for an hour burns 184 calories
- Light cleaning for an hour, 153 calories
- Cooking, standing or sitting for 30 minutes, 62 calories
- Grocery shopping for an hour, 141 calories
- Ironing for 30 minutes, 70 calories
- Personal grooming for 30 minutes, 62 calories
- Scrubbing floors for 30 minutes, 117 calories
- Sweeping for 30 minutes, 123 calories
It was so amazing to me that I had burned so many calories by just doing the things I needed to get done. (I wonder how many calories you burn cleaning out a closet?)
So many people talk to me about not having the time to work out. I admit, it takes a lot of effort to find the time to stop your life and work up a sweat. Who knew you could do both without stepping foot into a gym?
The important thing is that you have worked up a sweat. There is no rule book that says you have to have dumbbells in your hands while you do it. Remember this is a lifestyle change. Just being active is a start. Who knows, after you finish the dishes and head to the grocery store you just might park at the back of the lot and get a few extra steps in.
Even small efforts often lead to big changes. If you actually finish all the things you need to get done you might even surprise yourself by having the and energy to head to the gym.