Between working, raising children, cleaning and the multitude of other normal things we as adults have to accomplish every week, it’s no wonder that going to the gym and setting aside time to work out isn’t something that easily fits into everyone’s schedule. If that sounds like you, rest assured that you can combine working out and daily chores–and while they may not build the most muscle, there are plenty of around-the-house activities that can burn tons of calories and help you lose and maintain a healthy weight (all while getting things done!) Here are 5 things you can do around the house to burn tons of calories.

1. Mopping
   There is perhaps nothing as satisfying as freshly mopped floors–not only will your house smell clean for days, mopping can burn up to 170 calories per hour! That’s almost how much you’d burn on a leisurely hour-long bike ride. Though mopping is considered a cardio workout, it also helps build strength and muscle in the upper body and shoulder regions.
2. Sweeping/vacuuming
   Similar to mopping, sweeping and vacuuming can be used as an easy-to-moderate exercise routine–burning almost the same amount of calories as the above. Adding these two activities to your to-do list a couple of times a week can easily impact your overall calorie count. Plus, your bare feet will thank you.
3. Carrying things upstairs 
   No one has ever said they enjoy carrying laundry and shopping upstairs, but, they can certainly appreciate that it’s one of the best ways to get things done while burning a lot of calories! How many calories, you ask? Well, up to 440 per hour.
4. Painting
   How does burning 200 calories in 30-min sound to you? If you needed an excuse to repaint the walls in the house that you just can’t stand the color of anymore, this should be it. By just painting, especially when using a roller (seriously, those things get heavy when they’re covered in paint) and moving furniture, you can easily burn your entire day’s intake of calories with a few hours of vigorous painting.
5. Mowing the lawn
   As tempting as it may be, before you go out and spend $1,000+ on a fancy mower that does most of the work for you, consider this: depending on your lawnmower, you can burn up to 230 calories in half an hour just by trimming the lawn. You will get the best results using a hand mower, whereas a self-propelled mower will have the least effect (other than riding mowers, of course.) Mowing in hotter temperatures can also affect the number of calories burned.