Gardening
Weed and trim your way to better health with gardening. As long as you don't mind a little dirt beneath your nails, gardening is a great way to stay active. The heavy bags of mulch, fertilizer and potted plants that need to be taken from point A to point B will burn calories, as well as build muscle. Even after the initial heavy lifting is over, plants need to be cared for at least once a week, which requires weeding, trimming and watering.
Yard Work
Even if you don't have a green thumb, there is likely a lot of yard work to manage. Lawn mowing, hedge trimming, spring cleanup, weed whacking — you name it. An hour's worth of mowing the lawn with a power push mower burns more than 330 calories, which is equivalent to the average breakfast. Follow that up with weed whacking and hedge trimming, and not only do you have a beautiful lawn, but you've burned a lot of calories, too.
Spring Cleaning
A number of spring cleaning chores can build muscle and even tighten abs. Get a dose of fitness at home and spring clean your way to a healthier lifestyle. When scrubbing surfaces, the circular motion kills germs and calories. If something is very dirty — especially cookware — really scrubbing away at it will help build muscle. When cleaning the fan or something high up, using a ladder will give you some of the same benefits as a step class. Do lunges when vacuuming to feel the "burn" and tighten your abs when doing chores.
Walking or Biking
Going for a walk or riding a bike will help you get in shape, reduce stress and enjoy some fresh air. These cardio-centered activities also are great for heart health. A slow, leisurely walk will burn around 204 calories per hour, while a power walk will burn 314 calories per hour. Biking at a slower pace burns 292 calories per hour.
adapted from: Barnabas Health online Health Library