How to Turn Tidying Up into a Fat Burning / Toning Session

DISCLAIMER: Please note that I am a former certified personal trainer, and a health and fitness enthusiast... not a physician. Therefore, if you suffer from health conditions or injuries, or if you are unfamiliar with proper exercise form and proper body mechanics, it is advisable that you consult a physican before commencing any workout regimen.

Although housework is not a replacement for a regular and sensible workout routine - you can definitely seize the opportunity to boost your fitness routine and get in some fat fighting action while peforming simple household chores.

The first thing you'll want to do... is put on some upbeat music that makes you want to dance. Sounds hokey I know... but trust me... it definitely helps amp up the rate at which you move... thereby boosting your metabolism.

The next thing you'll want to do is fix yourself a nice big glass of ice water, and sip from it frequently throughout your cleaning session. Drinking ice cold water burns calories because your body has to work to keep your body temp regulated while drinking it.

Put on some comfortable clothing and some sneakers... in other words... dress as if you are going to the gym.

Laundry Squats:
Dump the dirty laundry onto the floor in front of the washer. Perform a standard squat while picking up a piece of clothing, and dropping it into the washer. Repeat until all the clothes are in the washer. You should be performing a total of 8-10 squats for each load of laundry you do. To perform a squat you simply space your feet apart approximately shoulder-width, keeping feet flat on the floor, and then "sit down" into a squatting position keeping your knees behind your toes. Here's a great youtube tutorial showing the squat in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyjpz4jkjSQ Squats utilize the muscles of the lower body (legs, hips, butt and thighs), and are a great way to burn calories and fat, while toning.

Vacuum/Sweep/Mop Cardio Interval Training:
Whether you're pushing a vacuum, a broom or a mop... this is an easy method for kicking up your metabolism. Move your body around quickly and methodically, using short, brisk strokes for about a half a minute then slow down to an even pace for a half a minute. Be mindful of your form and avoid locking joints or jerking your arms. In other words... keep the movements quick but also smooth and controlled. Also... get your whole body into it... move your body with the vacuum/broom/mop in an exaggerated fashion, while focusing on your abs/core being tight and contracted, and your shoulders being relaxed. Heck.. throw in a few lunges if you can. Studies have shown that exercising with bursts of higher intensity in intervals, burns more fat than steady state cardio.

Shower Power:
When waging the war against soap scum, use both of those arms to scrub in both circular and up/down motions, switching arms frequently. Put a little elbow grease into it by pressing your scrubbing tool firmly against the walls of the shower and tub, while you scrub.. this will provide resistance. Both the movement and resistance will burn fat and help firm up those flabby arms. TIP: You can also perform this exercise while washing windows, walls, doors, etc.

Stair Climbing:
If your house has multiple levels, alternate cleaning rooms that are upstairs with rooms that are downstairs.... and when taking the stairs up or down... move quickly. For instance after cleaning the kitchen... run upstairs to clean the master bath... then run back downstairs to clean the livingroom... then back upstairs to clean the master bedroom... then down to the basement to throw in a load of laundry.... and so on and so forth. Depending on the size of your home... this can mean a lot of running up and down stairs... but your hips, thighs and glutes will surely thank you for it as this provides both short bursts of cardio with resistance.

I hope you've enjoyed the above tips and samples of how you can add a little fitness fun into your household chores. Remember to have fun, be creative and incorporate some of your own ideas into your cleaning routine!