Is Housework A Substitute for Regular Exercise?

@Chinmoy, good of you to take up this issue!!

[quote]There is a wide-spread notion that the daily chores performed by the women can take care of the needs for regular exercise to keep themselves healthy and fit.But going by a reserch report it may not valid.It holds that it has no significant beneficial effects. Brisk walk has been found to be the most effective and popular form of exercise. [/quote]

This is beacause most of the chores nowadays have limited the actual exercise involved because of increased use of automated machines. Traditionally, various chores such as washing clothes, utensils, sweeping and wiping floors etc. ensured that all the muscle groups in the body was worked upon. Women who still do these chores manually get a well-rounded exercise!

Especially making bed,kneading flour and squatting down on toes while wiping are great workouts for the staomach and hips!

I agree. Brisk walking is best exercise. The house work does not need so much physical exertion particular because of modern gadgets.Now they do not have to spend hours on house work like old women.

@Kalyani,thanks a lot for your elaborate and valuable addition to the post.

@Kalyani..

A wonderful explnation of the topic has given by you...

This is a hard fact that in this modern era, only brisk walking can help otherwise, gadgets has made all work easy for a housewife.

Thanks guys, but Aastha, one thing does make me wonder!!

All these modern gadgets have made our life easy then why has it become so hard us to enjoy a good health??

@kalyani,

I would put it down to a host of factors- especially the role of tension arising out of the complexities of modern life.

@Kalyani...

Obviously, we have become slaves to these gadgets, and we are so dependent on them now a days, that we don't prefer to take even a glass of water ourselves..
This has made up so lazy that even if we want to exercise to make us fit, we are not able to do so.. ;) :angry: :S

@Aastha, you have highlighted this very well...
First we spend a lot of money to buy various gadgets in the hope that it will make life more easy for us, but then we end up paying doctors' bills because we don'e exercise!! :( :dry: :blink: :dry: :woohoo: :blink: :S

The consequences of modern living!!!

Looking at my Grandmother who sits straight at the age of 87, it proves that housework is a substitute for regular exercise.

I agree with Kalyani's points. These instruments have reduced the physical work.But still i think women can do more things in the house which will help their physique.

I think cleaning the house daily with a broom is a good exercise for women. But they should bend down and do that. If they do that with a standing posture, then there is no use. When there is no urgency,i used to sit down on the floor and have my food so that i can get up several times during my eating.

Yes i agree with all of you and appreciate for discussing such an important issue..

Previously all the housework was done manually and due to this many excerises were covered and as said by Jayen we can see our grandmother still fit at the age of 80+ due to this.But today we are totally dependent on machines which already covered, makes life easy...

So.. it can be finally said the in modern times, housework is not a substitute to regualr exercise.
Even in cooking, many gadegets have come ,like wet ginder, food processor) to make it easier for us. Mixie is making the job of blending much easier than it was previously. Another thing is the in olden times there were large families and to cook for all of them alone was a hectic task.

What can be said safely that the lifestyle as it was in the olden times can not be brought back and the world has changed for the women especially in the urban areas and exercises have to be popularised in the interest of health.

Agreed Chinmoy, the old times can not be brought back now!! But as Meean says, even a simple act of sweeping or wiping the floor by squatting down is great exercise! Especially for women who stay at home can at least take up these two activities. Spending 20-25 minutes for these chores everyday will keep your body fit and flexible!!

I accept that Kalyani! My focal point is excercise and let it be any form.If sweeping is one,so far so good with one condition- no dirt should be swept under the carpet!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I agree!!

I just hope your wife sees this post!!! :woohoo: :woohoo:

@Kalyani,

I have been struggling to keep her away from this.....Any target is just good enough for her big and broad broomstick!!