Spring Clean Your Way to Fit

May 1, 2014— -- intro: Skip the gym and bust out the broom: These household activities torch up to 200 calories in just 30 minutes—nearly double the amount you’d burn pumping iron in the gym.

Keep the routine up on a weekly basis and you’re bound to banish both extra clutter and inches. Read on to find out which projects will put a dent in your to-do list and prep your body for spring’s skin-baring clothing.

quicklist: 1category: Spring Clean Your Way to Fittitle: Task: Tame the Yardurl:text:Clear out winter’s leftover leaves and make way for spring greenery by rooting out weeds and trimming trees. While you’re killing calories, add some new life by planting flowers, herbs, fruit, or vegetables.

Raking: Burns 146 calories*

Weeding: Burns 153 calories

Manually pruning bushes/shrubs/trees:Burns 153 calories

Mowing: Burns 204 calories

Digging and planting:Burns 170 calories

Task Total: 836 calories

Knock out all five outdoor activities, and you’ll have burned 122 more calories than you would have during an hour and a half of intense aerobic dancing.

*All figures are based on a 150-pound personMore from Fitbie: