10 Everyday Summertime Activities that Burn More Calories than You Think
Summer is the easiest time to get out and be active, but you might be even more active than you realize. Aside from exercising, there are plenty of ways to burn calories and get fit while checking off pesky activities on your to-do list and having a blast in the gorgeous summer sun. Find out the ten everyday summertime activities that you should definitely keep doing to achieve your best summer body yet; after all, the calorie count may just surprise you.
1. Walking the Dog
Strap on Fido’s leash, because that daily walk is fantastic for your health. Stretch it out to an hour and pick up the pace to get the most out of this walk, and not just for you – trust us, your pooch will love it.
Calories Burned: 205 (over 1 hour)
2. Mowing the Lawn
Here’s a good reason to stop delegating the lawn mowing: it burns more calories than you think, so you can hit snooze on that 6:00 a.m. spin class. What a shame.
Calories Burned: 138 (over half an hour)
3. Deep Cleaning
Spring cleaning may be an evil necessity, but you get way more out of it than just a sparkling, clean house. Deep cleaning torches away calories like nobody’s business; changing sheets, vacuuming, cleaning windows, mopping, dusting, and more quickly rack up the calories burned but you’re probably too laser-focused to even realize! If only we could bottle that energy…
Calories Burned: 500+ (over 1 hour)
4. Picking Fruits
One of the perks of summer is getting fresh produce right from the farm. Pack up the kids and head to your nearest fruit-picking farm for an active day in the sun that burns off calories in a fun, productive way (while getting oodles of fresh berries, apples, and more).
Calories Burned: 136 (over 1 hour)
5. Playing with Kids
Getting the Mom-of-the-Year award isn’t the only reason to spend more time playing with your kids: it can actually torch crazy amounts of calories, especially during the summer. Get the kids outside and play tag, jump rope, hide-and-seek, and more for a sneaky workout that will net you serious Mom points. Oh, and the satisfaction of your children’s happiness, of course.
Calories Burned: 200-300 (over 1 hour)
6. Gardening
Cultivating the best garden on your block is no easy feat – literally. Just an hour of gardening can be a fantastic workout on a gorgeous summer day, and it’s way better than slogging away on the treadmill. From lifting heavy bags of soil to digging with a shovel, there’s no end in sight for your calorie burning.
Calories Burned: 150-300 (over 1 hour)
7. Farmer’s Market
There’s nothing quite like heading to the farmer’s market on the weekend and loading up on fresh fruits and veggies for less. But you might not have realized that your favorite Saturday morning activity also doubles as an effective calorie-burner. Pushing around a cart, zigzagging from stall to stall, loading up your trunk – these are all active movements that help burn off those Saturday morning pancakes!
Calories Burned: 200 (over 1 hour)
8. Washing the Car
Stop spending money at the gas station on car washes, and instead roll up your sleeves for a DIY job. The results will be just as good, and you’ll get some vitamin D while burning a solid number of calories. Deep clean your vehicle by vacuuming the seats and carpets, cleaning the windows, scrubbing the wheels, and hosing down the mats. Get the kids involved for a fun family activity that takes care of two pesky tasks in one.
Calories Burned: 250 (over 1 hour)
9. Painting
Summer is the best time to get that long overdue painting done. You can air out the house easily and have plenty of natural sunlight to get the job done right. Plus, this chore can double as your daily workout so that you crush two birds with one…paintbrush. Climbing up and down ladders, moving furniture, squatting down to get the baseboards – all this adds up for serious calorie burning, and you get a fresh coat of paint too!
Calories Burned: 1200 (over 4 hours)
10. Playing at the Park
If you’re looking to burn off some serious calories while having a blast, just head on over to your nearest green space. Whether you’re tossing around a Frisbee, kicking a ball, or simply strolling around admiring Mother Nature, there’s no shortage of ways to burn calories at the park without even realizing it.
Calories Burned: 150-200 (over 1 hour)
*All numbers based on a 150 lb female.
With all these extra activities, you’d think shaping up in the summer would be a cinch. Unfortunately, summer is also replete with opportunities to fall off the fitness bandwagon, hard. We’re talking boozing, BBQs, patios galore. So take advantage of your bolstered summer calorie burn, by all means, but don’t depend on it to negate a crap diet.