Everyday Activities That Burn the Most Calories

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s surprisingly easy to forget to take care of your body. A detour through the fast food drive-thru is much more convenient than cooking a meal from scratch, it’s all too tempting to forgo an extra hour of sleep to watch one more episode of your favorite television show and that New Year’s resolution to visit the gym every week? Long past.

Making an effort to get in a routine workout is certainly one of the toughest commitments to stick to, but it doesn’t have to be. As long as your body is moving and your blood is pumping, many parts of your daily routine could be considered part of an active lifestyle. These are a few everyday activities that burn the most calories.

Get Groceries

All those laps up and down grocery store aisles can add up. Stroll at a steady pace through the store, checking the heaviest items off your list first – like cans, bulk items or whole watermelon – to add weight resistance to your carriage from the get-go. Grocery shopping for 30 minutes can help you burn up to 85-126 calories depending on your weight, according to Harvard Medical School, and standing in long lines at checkout can burn an additional 28-41 calories.

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Play the Day Away

The next time your kids are having fun in the backyard, join in! Play a round of hide-and-seek, try a game of soccer or toss a frisbee around. Not only do these activities get everyone’s heart pumping, but it also encourages some screen-free family bonding. An hour of playtime can burn nearly 114-168 calories. To burn even more calories, pick a game that involves running or jumping. Don’t forget to stretch first and be sure to stay hydrated.

Tidy Up Your Home

Cleaning the house may seem like a chore, but you can burn some serious calories with this activity. Whether it be dusting, mopping, sweeping or scrubbing, you can burn a boatload of calories – about 135-189, depending on the intensity of your cleaning spree. Be sure to engage your core and bend at the knees as you tidy high and low surfaces and take a few extra climbs up and down the stairs. Put on some high-energy music for motivation. Bust a dance move here and there to burn extra calories.

Fold the Laundry

Even something as mundane as laundry can be a calorie-burner. Tasks like loading and unloading the washer, folding and putting away clothes can burn 50-100 calories per hour.

Take Your Pup for a Stroll

Both you and your furry friend will enjoy the fresh air and the chance to get your legs moving with this everyday activity. Walking at a moderate pace burns around 135-189 calories. Plus, regular strolls have been proven to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and bone strength, prevent weight gain and increase energy, according to the American Heart Association.

Work in the Yard

Spending time tidying up outdoors is a great way to stay fit and make your home more eye-catching to the neighborhood. There are infinite possibilities for burning calories while working outside. Raking leaves, shoveling snow, pulling weeds and mowing the lawn with a push mower are great activities that burn calories. Tending the garden is a great way to get some outdoor fitness in and could help you burn more than 300 calories per hour, according to the American Cancer Society. For an added health boost, plan to grow some healthy veggies for salads and dinner sides. Slather on the sunscreen and don’t forget to stretch first to avoid sore muscles.

Some Daily Extras

To maximize your daily calorie burn, make small changes that will keep you moving. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, ride your bike to work if you can or take a break from sitting stationary at your desk with some chair yoga.

If you treat your daily routine like a fitness plan, you’ll be burning extra calories in no time – but don’t let all that work go to waste. Using a fitness tracker like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Pro can give you deeper insights into your progress and everything you’ve accomplished during the day. The best part? As a AAA member, you get up to 30% off Samsung site-wide. Shop now.

Looking for more ways to break a sweat? AAA members can save with Active&Fit Direct.