November 21, 2011
By Tom Canty, Vice President and General Manager for Labor, Government and Special Accounts at Empire BlueCross BlueShield
That’s right. You may be exercising and not even realize it. Carrying grocery bags, gardening, scrubbing the bathtub or washing and waxing a car are all forms of moderate exercise that can cause you to burn between 105 and 210 calories in a half hour. And, your heart, bones, lungs and muscles are reaping the benefits of these activities as well.
Opportunities to exercise are just about everywhere, and you don’t always have to be an athlete to participate. When you’re ready to start exercising, find an activity you really enjoy. If you like dancing, then try a dance aerobics class at a gym or community center. Or jump on a trampoline. It’s easier to keep up an exercise program when you’re doing things you like. Even look for chores around the house like cleaning out the garage or painting a room. Your body benefits all the same.
Take a look at the calories you can burn on these activities:
(For people weighing between 130 and 190 pounds, calories burned for one hour of activity)
Playing billiards 148 – 216
Bowling 177 – 259
General house cleaning 207 – 302
Cooking/food preparation 148 – 216
Dancing 266 – 388
Mowing lawn 325 – 474
Pushing stroller 236 – 345
Talk to your doctor before you start a new exercise program, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve been regularly active. Remember: There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical exercise.
