Washing dishes: The 'secret' workout you didn't know you were getting?

Africa Melane speaks to Liezel van der Westhuizen, resident fitness enthusiast about how chores can be a form of exercise and an activity of mindfulness. 

Washing the dishes: chore or exercise opportunity?

This simple chore can be mindful, therapeutic (especially if you've got your favourite music playing in the background), and help boost physical activity.

Liezel van der Westhuizen reports that there are 'surprising benefits' of washing dishes by hand which can also be a form of physical and mindful exercise.

If you're doing 15 minutes of washing dishes by hand throughout the day in five-minute chunks each time, you can burn about 40-50 calories, depending on its intensity and your posture.

Ensure that you engage your glutes and muscles while washing dishes - it may not be an intense gym workout but it can help tone your arms and various muscle groups, adds van der Westhuizen.

Washing dishes by hand is considered a physical activity because it involves standing, bending and reaching repetitively which improves overall physical fitness that can have the following benefits:

• enhance cardiovascular health
• improve hand and arm strength
• better hand-eye coordination.

If you use washing dishes as a form of active meditation, it can also reduce stress, anxiety and boost your mental well-being as a form of mindfulness.

"Washing dishes is also great for mindfulness... studies also show that it lowered nervous system levels and stress levels by 27%."

- Liezel van der Westhuizen, Fitness Enthusiast 

Other calorie burning household chores, depending on the intensity of them include; vacuuming, gardening, mopping, sweeping, window cleaning and laundry.

Van der Westhuizen recommends scattering exercises like this into your daily routine to get moving and encourage mindfulness. 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.