Fitness & exerciseGeneral wellness

10 surprising ways you’re working out every day

Find out how you’re burning calories without even stepping foot in the gym.

Jan, 2026
LearnFitness10 surprising ways you’re working out every day
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Mowing the lawn
Snow shoveling
Mopping and sweeping
Gardening and yard work
Grocery shopping
Washing dishes
Cooking
Fidgeting
Laundry
Sleeping
Turn your chores up a notch

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Life is hectic, so it can be hard to sneak in a workout. Luckily, you’re burning calories just by doing regular activities like sweeping, gardening and washing dishes. “The average person burns about 1600 calories a day just by doing daily activities,” says Elizabeth Kevil, DPT a Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colorado.

Here are 10 ways you’re working out during the day, the calories burned and how to spice up everyday activities, so you can burn even more. Each activity is based on a 150-pound woman doing the activity for an hour.

Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.May, 2023

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