To think that housework can be my daily exercise?

[iwantitalltobenormal]

I do around 45 - 1 hr of house work per day , probably more , including up and down stairs multiple times a day , hoovering cleaning the floor mopping and Also running around after a 2yo.

I also walk around 3 times a week also for 45 mins , but I would definitely class my cleaning regime as my main exercise ...

My god I sound bonkers.

If you do it vigorously and get your heart rate up, definitely.

Depends on the housework. Hoovering would be more energetic than dusting for example.

Running after a toddler is definitely exercise.

If your heart rate is up steadily for the 45mins - 1 hour daily, then yes. But whether or not you will succeed in your goal (lose weight? Lower blood pressure?) will depend what your goal is.

What is your goal? Or are you just asking if it'll do for maintenance?

Yep I definitely get my heart racing and get a sweat on doing it . My floor is a nightmare to clean as it just collects dust so I end up hoovering almost 3 times per day.

Just maintenance as happy with weight at the moment ..

Get some ankle weights. You'd be amazed at the difference they make. I use them when doing housework and they really up the exertion.

How large/unfit are you? You're looking for a cardio level if heart rate, if you're doing the exercise for a healthy heart. That means being out if breath and sweaty.

The more obese and/or unfit you are, the less you need to do to raise your heart rate.

I definitely get my heart racing and get a sweat on doing it

For the whole time?

You might get a sweat on doing 10 minutes of hoovering within your housework. But if you were (say) doing a cardio exercise class or running then you'd have that sustained level of increased heart rate for a full 45 minutes or whatever.

I've lost more weight running than doing housework. But there again I prefer running!

I am a size 14 , 5ft 8 and relatively healthy

I’m not sure it counts as exercise but I do think there’s a lot to be said for just being generally active in your daily life. I think for most people being active is enough (in terms of health) and that you don’t really need to be sporty or especially fit

Nah, I don't think it really counts as exercise.

I mean, it might add a fair amount to your 10,000 steps a day but I doubt your heart rate is up for the entire time you're doing it. Maybe when you're hoovering or moving furniture but otherwise no.

I would say good exercise should leave you out of breath. My housework doesn't do that, Joe wicks does

I burnt more calories today hoovering my house (with a bit of dancing around to my favourite songs) than I do in a yoga class. I discovered that today using my apple watch

I am a size 14 , 5ft 8 and relatively healthy

I'd say no then.

Doing exercise for the sake of having a healthy heart isn't just about moving, or doing the steps.

Moving and doing the steps is good, but they are not building your heart muscle.

I wish this was true. However, I've never seen anyone become fit and get a nice toned body purely from housework. Maybe it's a cliche and I shouldn't think like that, but from what I've seen, those who are house proud and invest a lot of time and effort into cleaning are often those with matronly and unfit body shapes.
So definitely not exercise. Better than sitting around doing nothing but definitely not enough to live a lifestyle that does not include proper exercise/sports/workouts.

To honest, if you feel that you need to hoover your floor 3 times a day every single day, I would suggest that you act on that first. It really is not normal to hoover your floor 3 times a day, very far from it.

It suggest that you are either suffering from anxiety/OCD tendencies and need to get some help with your mental health, or that you are bored and just making work for yourself.

If you stop hoovering the floor 3 times a day you will find that you have time to do some proper exercise - i.e. walking, jogging, gym when they reopen, etc. So you won't need to worry about whether housework 'counts'.

If you saw my floor you would be hoovering 3 times per day , I struggle to wonder why you would think that I have mental health issues from this ? I have a toddler who eats 3 times per day I have bad grouting and a gravel drive way so the dust is a nightmare , I genuinely have to hoover a lot .

I have a fitbit and am surprised how housework doesnt clock as activity. It has put me off housework to be honest. Its really of no use.

No, I don’t think it counts. It’s just a given that you should be reasonably active during the day, and more vigorous exercise should be in top of that.

Well, it's minimal exercise but if you're keeping a sweat on for 45 minutes or more and not gaining weight, it's maintaining you. Your body will tell you. If you start putting on weight or getting out of breath or finding it more of a challenge to get up flights of stairs, you're losing fitness. I think looking after a 3 year old is sort of 'functional' exercise. I mean, you're not 'doing squats', for example, but you do have to keep bending down to pick things up. You could look at your technique if you wanted it to be more toning. Say, lunge from room to room, do a proper form squat when you're picking up that toy, etc.

It’s just a given that you should be reasonably active during the day, and more vigorous exercise should be in top of that

Who says it's a given?

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1BJcPzmSfKBgs2gXPNWQN9g/can-you-get-fit-simply-by-doing-the-housework

I Hoover the kitchen floor three times a day too. Kids are messy and invariably cereal and crumbs make it to the floor. If kids aren't at home it doesn't get messy so I don't bother so not a mental health thing.

There was a programme on the BBC a while back that proved that housework absolutely was a good workout. I will try and find it.