Sneaky Ideas to Burn Calories Without Working Out
While more intense exercise like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is essential for losing fat, there are plenty of everyday activities that burn calories! Even better? They also count towards the CDC-recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.
Moderate-intensity activities get you moving strenuously enough to burn off three to six times as much energy per minute as you do when sitting quietly.
Even though moderate-intensity, everyday activities might not seem like exercise, there are still great health benefits, like:
- Increased energy
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and cancer
- Lessened arthritis pain
- Lowered risk of osteoporosis
- Decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression
So, if you don’t have time for a workout, try one of these 12 daily activities that burn more calories than you might realize.
(Note: All of the calorie estimates are based on data for a person weighing around 150 lbs. You may burn more or less, depending on your weight.)
1. Shopping
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Calories Burned: 500-600 calories in 3 hours
It’s fun to head out for a day of shopping to find something fresh and new! A 150-pound person can burn up to 200 calories per hour walking at about 2 mph. And let’s face it—no one shops for just an hour!
2. Cleaning
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Calories Burned: 324 calories per hour
Maybe cleaning isn’t under the category of things you enjoy. (Or maybe it is!) In either case, it’s a very active way to spend your day and quickly burn calories!
Doing some heavy cleaning, whether it’s mopping, shining the windows, or washing the car by hand, is a great way to be productive while getting in a decent workout.
3. Painting the House
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Calories Burned: 352 calories per hour
There’s something refreshing about painting a room, isn’t there? It brightens the entire space and gives it a calm, clean feel.
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars hiring a painter for your next painting job, save the money and do it yourself. Paint is relatively cheap, and you’ll burn tons of calories in the process.
4. Grocery Shopping
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Calories Burned: 212 calories per hour
You have to do it anyway, right? Instead of ordering groceries online and having them delivered, burn some calories by doing it yourself!
Pushing a cart up and down the grocery store aisles for an hour will burn around 200 calories. Bonus if you bag your own groceries!
5. Playing with the Kids
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Calories Burned: Around 282 calories per hour
Whether they’re your kids or your grandkids, getting some one-on-one play time can be incredibly beneficial! Play hopscotch, dance, help them ride a bike, play tag, or get moving in another way that everyone enjoys.
Try these 45 fun and healthy activities to do with kids for even more great ideas!
6. Outdoor Clean-Up
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Calories Burned: Around 1800 calories in four hours
If you’re into volunteering, cleaning up a beach or other outdoor area is great exercise!
If you head out for a few hours to pick up trash, you’ll do something good for the community and torch a bunch of calories in the process.
7. Mowing the Lawn
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Calories Burned: 396 calories per hour
No, not with a riding mower! Pushing a lawnmower, even the self-propelled style, is a fantastic cardiovascular and strength activity combined in one.
Plus, you’ll get a great leg workout with bonus core strengthening when you pull your abs in to protect your back.
8. Walking the Dog
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Calories Burned: 133 calories in 30 minutes
When you take your dog out for some fresh air (and a potty break), you can burn over 100 calories in 30 minutes just by walking 3.5 mph. Not too shabby, right?
If you don’t have a dog, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a morning stroll. A leisurely walk might not feel like much, but you’re getting more of a workout than you think!
Try my power walking challenge to up your steps while getting support along the way.
9. Moving
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Calories Burned: 500 calories per hour
No one likes moving, but the next time your friend asks for help, you might want to consider it!
Moving heavy boxes around can burn around 500 calories per hour. And since moving is usually an all-day affair, you’ll get a pretty major workout without going near a gym!
10. Sleeping
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Calories Burned: 44 calories per hour
Yep—you burn calories while you sleep! This might motivate you to aim for those coveted 7-8 hours of sleep every night: getting a good 8 hours can burn around 350 calories.
These are my favorite tips for getting better sleep!