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| UNCLE VIC'S FIT TIP #19, 2007 — The Tortoise and the Hare
There are many activities you can do besides formal exercise that can help you burn calories and lose weight. However, the key is that whatever activity you do has to be continuous. For instance, house work or yard work certainly burns calories, but not very effectively if you are taking continuous breaks or only doing it for 10 minutes.
Let's take a look at how long it takes to burn 100 calories for several daily activities:
| Activity | Minutes |
| Clean/vacum/mop floor | 25-35 |
| Wash dishes | 45-50 |
| Mow lawn (push mower) | 10-15 |
| Mow lawn (riding mower) | 25-30 |
| Wash car | 20-25 |
| Paint house | 35-40 |
| Shovel snow | 10-15 |
| Gardening (weeding, planting) | 20-30 |
>(See extra credit quiz below for golf)
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Now, let's compare that to traditional exercise: |
| Activity | Minutes |
| Run at 5.5 miles an hour | 10 |
| Walk briskly | 15-25 |
| Cycle at 5.5 miles an hour | 20-30 |
| Cycle at 9.4 miles an hour | 15-20 |
| Golf (walk course) | 20-25 |
Now, while the time required to burn 100 calories is comparable to conventional exercise for certain daily activities, the key is that it must be continuous. Kind of like the tortoise and the hare. (Don't you like the way I always conveniently work in the title of my article into the copy?) Slow but steady gets it done. And this is the rub. It is very difficult to get in the required number of minutes with a daily activity continuously to burn the calories required. For instance, I don't know many of us that wash dishes for 45 minutes. Not to mention that you do not get your heart rate high enough in these activities to get an aerobic effect.
The bottom line is that daily activities should be a supplement to your normal workout routine, not a substitute. The combination of a well-rounded fitness routine and an active daily schedule will yield you the best results.
Answer to last week's fitness quiz:
"What percentage of total calories you consume each day is burned in eating and digesting your food?"
10%!
Answer to last week's extra credit quiz:
"What is the name of Tom Hank's character in Saving Private Ryan?"
Captain Miller.
This week's fitness quiz:
"How many extra pounds did the average secretary gain in the first year after the invention of the electric typewriter? "
Extra credit quiz:
"How many calories do you burn in a round of golf if you ride in a cart? "
Corny Joke of the Week:
If you drop a yellow hat in the Red Sea what does it become? Wet!
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