Mindless Exercise: Live to 100 Without Even Trying

Brought to you by GreenPal

In 17 American cities, we’re recreating Blue Zones Communities® by helping put physical activity back into people’s lives. We’re not going to solve America’s obesity epidemic with exercise. The average American only burns 100 calories per day engaged in exercise. The key to losing weight and staying young is to engineer back in all the calorie-burning that modern conveniences have cut out of our lives. Here’s a list of common tasks we do around the house and the calories they burn.  As you can see, they add up fast.

• Building a fence: 340 calories
• Hanging storm windows: 272 calories
• Laying tile: 238 calories
• Sanding floors: 238 calories
• Spreading dirt with a shovel: 272 calories
• Washing a fence: 238 calories
• Roofing: 340 calories
• Plumbing and wiring: 136 calories
• Shoveling snow: 576 calories
• Raking leaves: 384 calories
• Mowing the lawn: 400 calories

Note: figures are based on one hour of work by a 190-lb man. Our grandparents didn’t need treadmills to stay in shape and neither do we. Just roll up your sleeves and start ticking items off your chore list. You won’t just please your spouse – you’ll look and feel better too.