If I walk home carrying my grocery items in both hands, is that exercise? Or not?

As the weather gets colder, it becomes harder to get out of the house to exercise. This is especially true for aerobic exercises like running or walking, which we enjoy outdoors. In these times, there are aerobic exercises you can do indoors. Surprisingly, they're also effective and burn a lot of calories.

 

◇Climbing stairs

 

Climbing stairs is one of the most effective aerobic exercises. Try using the stairs in your apartment or house. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services even considers climbing stairs while carrying heavy groceries or other items as vigorous exercise. Climbing stairs burns 1.5 times more energy than walking on level ground, making it an effective calorie burner, and the repeated increase in breathing rate also strengthens cardiopulmonary function. In fact, a Harvard study found that climbing 10 flights of stairs twice a week reduced the risk of death from myocardial infarction by 20%. Regularly climbing stairs also naturally strengthens your gluteal muscles, resulting in a hip-lift effect. When climbing stairs, keep your legs in an 11-inch position, your hips and back in a straight line, and your chest upright. Strengthening your glutes further enhances the benefits. However, those with weak knees should avoid overexerting themselves.

◇Buffy Test

 

The burpee test is an exercise that can improve both aerobic and muscle strength. . You can train your entire body, including your core, in a short period of time. Let's try a simple burpee test on a mat. First, stand at attention with your back straight. From the standing position, bend your upper body and place both hands on the floor. Keeping your hands still, jump up and extend both legs behind you, keeping your shoulders and toes in a straight line. Then, jump forward and pull the leg you extended behind you. Return to the starting position to complete one repetition. Do 3-4 sets of 20 repetitions. While it's important to perform the burpee test quickly, you'll burn more calories if you move as much as possible.

 

◇Indoor bicycle

 

Cycling is a representative aerobic exercise along with running. If you exercise for the same amount of time, cycling and running burn similar calories. The Samsung Medical Center Sports Medicine Center compared the hourly calorie expenditure of a 70kg adult by exercise type. An hour of cycling at 25 km/h burned 780 kcal, while running at 9 km/h burned 700 kcal. If you exercise without a time limit, cycling can be more beneficial for fat burning because it allows for longer workouts. Cycling primarily targets lower body muscles, requiring less oxygen than full-body exercise. This delays fatigue. Furthermore, cycling can be converted to anaerobic exercise at higher intensity, allowing you to focus solely on lower body muscles. Even those with knee problems due to their weight can benefit from cycling.

 

◇Doing housework

 

Doing housework like cleaning or washing dishes can also be good aerobic exercise. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in the United States reported that washing windows for 45 to 60 minutes provides the effects of moderate aerobic exercise. Furthermore, a research team at the Oslo School of Sports Sciences in Norway found that doing housework for more than an hour a day cut the risk of death by nearly half. Housework burns calories and strengthens various parts of the body. Vacuuming for 30 minutes burns 90 kcal, which is similar to kickboxing for 15 minutes. Washing dishes for 15 minutes a week burns 560 kcal, which is similar to swimming 2,500 meters. Ironing for an hour burns 140 kcal, and cleaning the bathtub for 15 minutes burns about 100 kcal.

 

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Housework is hard, but it's also exercise.

I saw someone who used to be a master of life and exercise.

Even while washing dishes, you are in a squat position.

He also did a repetitive exercise of raising and lowering the back of his neck.