Favorite Self-Care Rituals

Picture this: you’ve finished a long day of housework, cleaning up after the kids, and pulling weeds in the backyard...and you’re exhausted. Right when you have some free time to go to the gym, your energy’s all but gone. Sound familiar? Not to worry! It turns out that house and yard work may serve as more of a workout than you’ve imagined. This also explains why you’re feeling fatigued by the end of the day—you’ve been working hard! And although daily exercise is vital to a healthy lifestyle, don’t stress too much if you aren’t able to make it to the gym every now and then. You can burn calories while checking off your to-do list around the house. Did you know that simply believing in housework as exercise has proven to be effective? A Harvard study concluded that women working in housekeeping worked harder physically and saw greater health benefits after being told their work was approved by the Surgeon General for daily exercise. In four short weeks, these women saw a decrease in body fat percentage, blood pressure, weight, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index, whereas the control study did not. Your mindset matters, and having a positive attitude on chores at home can help you benefit not only mentally, but physically. Try these calorie-burning chores to work underused muscles at home. Vacuuming: 176 calories A push and pull motion that will engage your chest, back, and arms. Gardening: 287 calories Pulling weeds while squatting, planting, and raking leaves make for an full-body workout. Bathroom: 180 calories Cleaning the toilet and scrubbing the bathtub will work your core, back, and arms. Cooking: 136 calories Stirring, whisking, chopping, and kneading will give your upper body a surprising workout. Mopping: 248 calories Your shoulders will be on fire! Mowing the lawn: 375 calories Feel the burn with this calorie-crushing chore that will target your thighs, back, and arms. Sweeping: 272 calories A similar motion to mopping and vacuuming. Shoveling snow: a whopping 428 calories! You’ll feel it in your legs, core, back, shoulders, and arms. Laundry: 150 calories Changing sheets, ironing, bending down to retrieve clothes, and carrying your hamper up and down the stairs will get your heart pumping. Cleaning the car: 204 calories Washing, cleaning, and vacuuming will raise that heart rate. Painting: 340 calories Renovating. Another great workout for your upper body. Washing dishes: 164 calories Your forearms, biceps, triceps, and chest will feel this one. Moving furniture: 409 calories! Spring cleaning, rearranging, and helping your neighbors move are ways to demolish those calories. Dusting: 178 calories Try and reach those high and low corners for full body motion. *Calories per hour **Calories are based on a 150-pound person. You can always add some mini additions to your “houseworkout.” Engage your core, try some calf raises while cooking, use ankle and wrist weights as you complete tasks around the house, perform squats with items such as a laundry hamper, or put on some catchy tunes to pump you up! Now that you’ve got the knowledge, you’ll have even more motivation to dive into your cleaning and complete those household action items you’ve been putting off. Happy cleaning! Kayleigh Jardine iFit Trainer WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

So you’ve just finished Valentine’s Day. Hopefully, you had a chance to reconnect with the one you love. But soon, workplace stressors, children’s activities, and even day-to-day housekeeping can get in the way of connecting with your sweetie. Well, we have a way to get back that spark on a daily basis: working out together! Let’s take a look at the psychological, emotional, and physical benefits of convincing your S.O. to make a regular date of the gym! Look at that body. There are some obvious physical benefits of going together to the gym. Your bodies are getting stronger every single day. That means you’ll feel sexier and more confident, which is always a boost for your romantic relationship! Love is in the air. Exercise releases endorphins, and sharing that emotional high with your one and only can create a stronger bond. Also, studies have shown that couples who nonverbally mimic each other feel more emotionally in tune. Examples include matching running paces, lifting weights in rhythm, or tossing a medicine ball back and forth. It might seem silly, but watch it strengthen your bond. Push it. Working out alone can be really difficult. Dragging yourself out of bed or turning down lunch with your coworkers to go to the gym is akin to torture at times. Putting in the effort is always simplest when you have a partner. And when that partner’s your honey, it can make it twice as easy. You’ll both feel supported, encouraged, and will push your hardest to impress each other. Under pressure. Getting overloaded with stressful things in your life can kill romance and intimacy like nobody’s business. Many people deal with stress in unhealthy ways that can lead to a rocky relationship. Exercise is a healthy way to rid yourself of stress, and provides an environment to talk about problems that might be bothering you. A long run with your love can reduce arguments and help clear out the cobwebs so you can find solutions to your life problems. A matter of trust. When you work out together, you can spot each other, exchange helpful tips, and encourage one another. All of these things will help you build a foundation of trust that will help you in other aspects of your relationship. So get to the gym and let your love grow! ~J. Rebecca Sanders WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.