Can Housework Be as Good as Going to the Gym?

April 28, 2008 — -- The weight yo-yo is over … in the third week … I am down a few pounds, but I am not really focused on the weight. I wanted to tighten up and the workouts and running seem to be doing that.

Also … for me … less is more … I lift one day, sometimes I do 30 minutes of cardio after (usually not) and run a couple times of week, using the interval program.

I cut out pasta and bread, potatoes and rice (for the most part) … but I did not add a ton of fat. I know Adam from Men's Health says that is key (as does my doc) … but I am not going crazy with that.

Here is an example of how the gym is not always necessary to workout, especially at this time of year:

This weekend my workouts were all about housework!

Saturday was an outdoor extravaganza. Of course this is spring, so I was also in lawn and flower bed restoration mode. The kids were in full effect, breaking out all the toys and gadgets and running around. Mario loves the dirt and developed a game where he would yell at me and this guy who were digging up these ratty azaleas (don't ask), and then throw dirt at us. After a full day of that I was not going to need the gym.

For some reason, though, I rallied and went for a long (for me) jog. By the time I got home … it was porch and cocktail time.

Sunday was another housework show-down. I finished the top of my garage for storage with one of those wacky fold-away, pull-down ladders and spent much of the day loading it up with a ton of stuff from my basement.

My wife directed all work (of course) … but 10 pieces of furniture, countless lamps and shades and baby equipment, CDs, coolers, and extra kitchen cabinets later… I was spent.

The climb out of the basement, awkward balancing march to the garage, and then ultimate lift, swivel and climb into the garage attic was quite the cardio/lift routine.

And that was after church on the day of rest .

And, unlike the gym, I LOVED doing the work at the house, being with the family, and making some progress … the gym, to me, seems like an inferior use of energy when compared to spending time with the loved ones, and making the little house a little more livable.