How to Turn Housework into a Workout

Do you hate housework? Yes, so do I - but what if you could turn housework into a workout to help you tone and firm your body while you clean your house? It may not make the tasks any easier, but at least these two workouts will benefit your body as well as your home, and two of the most arduous cleaning jobs will get done faster and better than ever before.

The Floor Workout

I live in Spain, and my apartment has marble floors throughout. They look beautiful when they're washed and polished, but they are dust magnets, so they need cleaning on a regular basis. My floor workout will work equally well on laminated or wooden floors, but be warned - you can't do this on carpets!

First of all, sweep the floor. Use the broom to stretch and sweep as far away from your body as you can possibly go without falling over. Feel the pull all the way down your sides and the backs of your legs. Now do the same thing with the mop, rubbing really hard at any stubborn marks to get your heart beating faster.

Now comes the fun bit. Have you seen those microfibre mitts that you can use for cleaning just about anything? Buy two, and put one on each foot. No, it's not a misprint, before you ask. Now put on your favourite dance music and dance your floor clean! Keep at least one foot in constant contact with the floor to be on the safe side. Twisting motions work really well for this, so not only will you have a lovely shiny floor, you'll trim your waist and midsection at the same time.

The Window Workout

If you have large patio windows, they are ideal for this workout. However, you can still do it if your windows are small. Again, you need two microfibre mitts, but don't worry - they're going on your hands this time. You didn't really think I was going to ask you to walk up the windows, did you?

Moisten one side of the mitts with plain water. Stand in the middle of your patio window, and start to clean it like this. Stretch both arms out to the sides as far as you can, and rub away at your windows using circular motions. Gradually bring your arms closer to your body, using the same circular motions. Now work up and down the windows, stretching as high as you can towards the top, and bending from the waist towards the bottom. This is great for the arms and the upper body, and the faster you rub away, the faster your heart will beat, giving you a great aerobic workout.

For smaller windows, use the same method, but with only one arm. Alternate arms between windows. Once you've washed each window, repeat the actions with the dry sides of the mitts until your windows are gleaming. You may prefer to do this to music.

By using the floor and window workout, I've trimmed inches from my arms, midsection, calves and thighs. Try it for yourself and see if you too can 'clean up' in the fitness stakes!