Haydee Ocampo

How 1950’s women stayed slim They may not have worked out in the gym, competed with men in the office or followed the Atkins Diet. But 50 years ago women still managed to burn up many more calories than their counterparts today. Research suggests the housework and general exercise that stay-at-home housewives did in 1953 were more successful at shedding the pounds. The mothers and grandmothers of today's generation burnt well in excess of 1,000 calories a day through their domesticated lifestyle, according to the study by the woman's magazine Prima. But females today get through only 556, even though seven in ten think they are healthier than the post-war generation. Modern women also consume a lot more calories, 2,178 a day now as opposed to 1,818 then. This could be down to eating more junk food, the study suggested, as women in 1953 were more likely to cook meals from scratch with a mixture of ingredients. Not everything in 'the old days' appears to have been healthier, according to Prima, which compared the lifestyles of women in 1953 and those of today. They would often eat twice as many eggs and used almost twice as much cooking fat and oil as women today. They also ate more sugar and less chicken. Most meals were served with vegetables, although it was more likely to be swede, turnips and sprouts rather than the aubergines, mange- tout or rocket favoured today. Appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers. They have also played their part in reducing the amount of calories burned, the research showed. Women in 1953 would spend three hours a day doing the housework, an hour walking to and from the shops in the town Centre, an hour on the shopping itself and another hour making dinner. Many had lunch to prepare, too, as many husbands came home to eat in the middle of the day. More calories would have been burned, of course, walking the children to and from school, since the family car was still a rarity. Today, women drive rather than walk, have freezers which mean fewer shopping trips and use supermarkets which provide everything under one roof. It is all a far cry from 50 years ago when they would have to traipse between the butcher's, to the baker's, the greengrocer's and other specialist stores. Women 50 years ago didn't, however, have the benefit of 45 minutes on the treadmill or an evening class in Pilates. In 1953, their idea of relaxation was listening to Housewives' Choice while they washed up the breakfast things or Mrs Dale's Diary when they stopped to enjoy tea and a biscuit for elevenses. The children needed playing with, too, as few families had a TV set to keep them quiet. Evening entertainment involved listening to the radio again, curling up with a book or playing board games. And in a less disposable age there was always plenty of darning and mending to do by the fire. Prima editor Maire Fahey said the magazine decided to study the contrasting lifestyles following an earlier survey which revealed how today's women were neglecting their health. She added yesterday: 'It is telling that modern technology has made us two-thirds less active than we were. It goes to show the importance of exercise in the battle to maintain a healthy balance.' Exercise and diet are not the only things to radically change over the last half-century. In the 1950s, a new home cost £2,000 but an office worker's average wage was just £ 14 a week. A loaf of bread and a pint of milk was the pre-decimal equivalent of 3p, a pint of beer 9p and 20 cigarettes 18p. Housewives in the 1950s enjoyed much more active sex lives than women of today, other research has found, because their time was not divided between career, childcare and socialising as it is now. Sample meal plan in 1950’s: Breakfast: One slice toast and butter and boiled egg 220 Lunch: Corned beef sandwich and butter 430 Snack: Slice Victoria sponge 175 Dinner: Two pork chops, boiled potatoes, swede, cabbage, tinned pears and custard 993 ----------------- TOTAL: 993 Exercise: Three hours housework (150 cals an hour): 450 One hour walking to shops (280 cals an hour): 280 1 hour shopping (200 cals an hour): 200 1 hour cooking (162 cals an hour): 162 ----------------- TOTAL: 1,092 Resource: How 1950s women stayed slim http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-191200/How-1950s-women-stayed-slim.html Dieting Through the Decades: What We’ve Learned from Fads Fad diets supposedly date back to the 1800s and they’ll probably always be in vogue. Dieting is similar to fashion in that it’s continuously morphing and even trends that get recycled resurface with a new twist. Every incarnation offers something exciting for consumers to buzz about – sometimes that something is worthwhile, sometimes it’s rubbish – but one way or another, fads always contribute to our understanding of what we consider “healthy.” I went back five decades to take a look at what we’ve learned and how each fad has influenced the way we eat. Decade: 1950s Diet fad: Grapefruit diet (half grapefruit before every meal; 3 meals a day, no snacks) Body image icon: Marilyn Monroe What we learned: Liquids and fiber fill you up! Newer research has confirmed that eating soup, salad and fruit before a meal does help you eat less of your entrée and lower your overall calorie intake. Downside: This fad was too limiting and too low in calories to stick with long-term and grapefruits get old pretty quick when you’re eating them 3 times a day! Decade: 1960s Diet fad: Vegetarianism Body image icon: Twiggy What we learned: Going veggie, even part-time is one of the best weight loss strategies. A recent review of over 85 studies found that up to 6% of vegetarians are obese, compared with up to 45% of nonvegetarians. Downside: Some vegetarians don’t eat many veggies and instead load up on high calorie dishes like pasta, mac & cheese, pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches. Going veggie is only heart healthy and slimming if it means eating mostly whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts.   Decade: 1970s Diet fad: Low calorie Body image icon: Farah Fawcett What we learned: Tab cola and calorie counting books were all the rage during the disco era and according to every weight loss study ever published, ultimately cutting calories is the bottom line for successful weight loss. Downside: Too few calories can cause the loss of muscle and suppress immunity and artificial, processed foods aren’t healthy just because they’re low in calories. For long-term health it’s all about getting the right amount of both calories and nutrients.    Decade: 1980s Diet fad: Low fat Body image icon: Christie Brinkley What we learned: Fat packs 9 calories per gram compared to just 4 in protein and carbs, so reducing fat is an effective way to cut excess calories. Downside: Cutting fat too low reduces satiety so you feel hungry all the time, fat free junk foods like cookies are still loaded with calories and sugar and too little “good” fat from foods like olive oil, avocado and almonds can actually increase your risk for heart disease. We now know it’s about having the right kinds and the right amount of fat.  Decade: 1990s Diet fad: High protein, low carb (Atkins) Body image icon: Jennifer Anniston    What we learned: Prior to low carb diets, many women weren’t getting enough protein because the low fat fad cut out a lot of protein-rich foods. Adding protein back boosted energy and immunity as well as key nutrients like iron and zinc and protein is filling, so it helps shut off hunger, even at a lower calorie level. Downside: Too much protein and too few carbs can up the risk of heart disease and cancer because you miss out on fiber and the abundant antioxidants in whole grains, fruit and starchy veggies. Bottom line: portion controlled amounts of a balance of protein, carb and fat-rich foods make for the healthiest diet.  Decade: Millennium Diet fad: All natural Body image icon: Variety! Icons range from curvy Scarlett Johansson to super slim Angelina Jolie    What we learned: Artificial food additives and preservatives like trans fat have side effects for your waistline, your health and the environment. Now the accent is on “clean eating” with an emphasis on all natural, local and “green” (planet friendly) foods and there’s no one-size-fits-all for weight loss or body image. Downside: The calorie message has gotten a little lost in the shuffle. Clean eating is best, but today, over one third of adults in the US are obese so an all natural, balanced, calorie controlled diet is best for maximizing this trend.   P.S. Apparently in the mid-1970s, it was reported that Elvis Presley tried the "Sleeping Beauty Diet" in which he was heavily sedated for several days, hoping to wake up thinner – I think the lesson there is obvious! Resource: Dieting Through the Decades: What We’ve Learned from Fads http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/dieting-through-decades-what-weve-learned-fads Then (1950) and Now (2010): What changed, the science or the politics? In the U.S. in 1950, obesity and diabetes were not public health problems. In 1980, USDA issued the first-ever low fat Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2010 – the same year that even more stringent anti-fat Dietary Guidelines were reaffirmed – the CDC in Atlanta referred to diabetes as a dangerous “run-away-train.” What happened between 1950 and 2010 to explain the unprecedented increase in diabetes that is now affecting an astonishing 25 percent of the population? Comparing USDA’s Home & Garden Bulletin No. 1 – Family Fare – food management and recipes  (February 1950) with information from the low fat 2010 Dietary Guidelines (MyPlate.gov), you will note a seismic shift in nutritional advice between 1950 and 2010. Did the science change during these decades or has the politics changed. Please, compare and decide… 1.     Nutrition Goals 1950:  Are you one of the country’s 33,000,000 homemakers trying to do a blue-ribbon job of feeding your family well? This booklet offers suggestions to help you serve enjoyable meals to keep your family well nourished, to practice thrift when need be, and to save time and energy where you can. 2010:  Eating and physical activity patterns that are focused on consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices, and being physically active can help people attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce their risk of chronic disease, and promote overall health. 1950:  The right food helps you to be at your best in health & vitality. An individual well fed from babyhood has a more likely chance to enjoy a long prime of life. [emphasis mine] 2010:  Enjoy your food, but eat less. Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. That way you can finish your entire plate and feel satisfied without overeating. [our behavior is the issue?] 2.     Complete Protein 1950:  You get top-rating proteins in foods from animal sources, as in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and cheese. Some of these protein foods are needed each day; and it is an advantage to include some in each meal. 2010:  We all need protein—but most Americans eat enough, and some eat more than they need…. Try beans and peas, soy products, nuts and seeds. They are naturally low in saturated fat and high in fiber. 3.     Iron 1950:  One of the essential materials for red blood cells is iron. Liver is outstanding for iron. Some of the other foods that add iron are egg yolks, meat in general, and peas and beans. 2010:  Some ready-to-eat and cooked cereals are fortified with iron.  When you are pregnant, choose these cereals to help meet your increased need for iron.  Choose cereals that say “Iron fortified.” [no mention of the superior quality of heme iron from animal sources]. Also, why do fortified foods now say:  “Reduced Iron”? 4.     Vitamin A 1950:  Vitamin A is important to the young for growth. Many vitamins help protect the body against infection, and Vitamin A’s guard duty is to help keep the skin and linings of the nose, mouth and inner organs in good condition. If these surfaces are weakened, bacteria [and viruses] can invade more easily. You can get Vitamin A from animal foods. Good sources are liver, egg yolks, butter, whole milk and cream, and cheese made from whole milk or cream. 2010:   Too much vitamin A from supplements can cause birth defects. [that’s all I could find] 5.     Vitamin D 1950:  Egg yolk, butter, salmon, tuna and sardines help out with Vitamin D. [lard, the best source of vitamin D was already omitted, reflecting the rising sales of Crisco hydrogenated shortening by 1950.] 2010:  Fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk or soy beverages that are fortified with vitamin D are good sources of this nutrient. Other sources include vitamin D-fortified yogurt and vitamin D-fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. 6.     Meat, poultry 1950:  Meat – there’s nothing else like it – the prized savoriness of meat. But all the skill of good cooking must be brought to bear on retaining this good flavor.  Beef may be cooked rare, medium, or well done. U.S. Choice – Excellent quality and flavor, tender and juicy, good distribution of fat throughout the lean meat. If you buy ungraded beef, you can be reasonably sure of high quality beef when the lean is light red, velvety-appearing, and liberally veined with fat, when bones are red, and the fat is flaky and white. For top quality poultry, look for a plump bird with well-fleshed breast and legs, well distributed fat, and skin that has few blemishes and pinfeathers. Too much fat is wasteful unless used in other dishes such as sauces, gravies, and cookies. 2010:  Choose lean or low-fat cuts of meat like round or sirloin and ground beef that is at least 90% lean.  Trim or drain fat from meat and remove poultry skin.  The leanest beef cuts include… The leanest pork choices include… Choose extra lean ground beef… You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean. Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking. Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices. 7.     Fats, oils 1950:  Plan to use some table fat daily plus other fats as needed in cooking, including butter, bacon, salad oil, salt pork, lard, suet, drippings. [margarine, shortening are also on the list.] 2010:  Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated (PUFA) or monounsaturated (MUFA) fats:  Some commonly eaten oils include: canola oil corn oil cottonseed oil olive oil safflower oil soybean oil sunflower oil 8.     Gravies, sauces 1950:  To make good gravy, you need drippings rich enough to flavor added liquids which may be broth, milk or water. Braised chops: Make gravy with the drippings or pour the drippings over the chops on the platter. Plain dish turns party fare when graced with sauce that’s tangy or mellow – a savory gravy – or a gentle sweetening for dessert 2010:  Using heavy gravies or sauces will add fat and calories to otherwise healthy choices. For example, steamed broccoli is great but avoids topping it with cheese sauce. 9.      Salt, sodium 1950:  Use iodized table salt regularly. [Not much concern about salt] 2010:  Cut back on salt. Your taste for salt will lessen over time. [what does that really mean?]  Foods like soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings, and seasoning packets are high in sodium. [but no mention of HFCS].  Popcorn can be a healthy snack. Make it with little or no added salt or butter.  [Remember, butter is our best daily source of vitamin A!]        10.  Main meal, tips and recipes 1950:   The dish that gets star billing at your table – whether it’s a sizzling steak or tangy cheese casserole – is called the main dish. Recipe for fried liver with bacon. Sprinkle liver with salt, pepper, and flour. Cook in bacon fat at moderate heat. Meat, poultry, and fish offer satisfying flavor and stick-to-the-ribs quality when we’re hungry. And these are the foods that abound in high quality protein. Another hearty trio – milk, cheese, and eggs – are main meal favorites. Pot roast of beef: Rub the meat with salt, pepper and flour, and brown on all sides in a little hot fat in a deep heavy pan with cover. Baste a chicken or turkey several times with melted fat or drippings. Some of the main dishes we like best are combinations. Dear to our hearts are rich brown stews with potatoes or dumplings, chicken with flaky rice, macaroni and cheese. 2010:   Think about how you can adjust the portions on your plate to get more of what you need without too many calories.  Find out how many calories you need for a day as a first step in managing your weight. Regular cream cheese, cream, and butter are not part of the dairy food group. They are high in saturated fat and have little or no calcium. [and that’s why they are not part of the dairy group? Hello!] Use fat-free or low-fat milk on cereal and oatmeal. Top fruit salads and baked potatoes with low-fat yogurt instead of higher fat toppings such as sour cream. Aim to make at least half your grains whole grains.  [other half can be refined just as sugar is refined] Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes or as dessert. Canned vegetables are a great addition to any meal. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as a part of the Fruit Group. [Fruit has a poor nutrient to sugar ratio] Drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Or, try a fruit mixed with fat-free or low-fat yogurt. Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt. [what’s a solid fat – butter until you melt it?] Resource: Then (1950) and Now (2010): What changed, the science or the politics? http://dietheartnews.com/2012/09/then-1950-and-now-2010-what-changed-the-science-or-the-politics/ No wonder they were so slim in the Fifties! Forget jogging and the gym... Alice Smellie discovers the fastest way to burn 2,600 calories: Live like it's 1952! It is 6am and I am on my hands and knees brushing ashes from the fireplace into a dustpan, panting with exertion. I have already burnt almost 100 calories and I haven’t even had breakfast yet. This is the start of my day as a Fifties housewife. Why have I burdened myself with such drudgery? Despite the early hour, it is rapidly becoming clear to me why women were so much slimmer 60 years ago. In the Diamond Jubilee year and with the London Olympics upon us, national pride may be at an all-time high, but so is our weight – and our increasing girth over the past few decades is less of a reason to cheer from the rooftops. Back to the future: Alice Smellie burned off 1,200 calories a day being a 1950s housewife According to the National Sizing Survey, in 1950 the average woman’s vital statistics were 36, 24, 35. She was a size 12 and weighed around 9st 12 lb. These days Ms Average weighs 11st and has become a considerably rounder 38, 34, 40. The average UK dress size is now 16.  In 1966, when records of obesity began, only 1.2 per cent of men and 1.8 per cent of women had a BMI of more than 30, meaning they were classed as obese and so at higher risk of a host of illnesses, from diabetes to heart disease and cancers.  And now? A study published last week found that 90,000 lives are lost every year through inactivity; 63 per cent of us do no exercise. Statistics from the Department of Health show 62 per cent of adults are overweight – with a BMI of more than 25 – or obese.  Yet many experts believe we eat less: the National Food Survey of 1952 states that on average women consumed nearly 2,500 calories a day. By 2000 this figure had dropped to 1,750. It’s estimated that we now consume 1,500 to 2000 calories a day. So where are we going wrong? Perhaps a clue can be found in a survey published earlier this year by over-50s group Saga, which showed that a housewife in the Fifties burnt about 1,000 calories every day going about her tasks, compared with just 560 calories now. ‘Today’s women have to set aside time in their busy schedules for exercise,’ says Saga’s director-general,  Dr Ros Altmann. ‘But this is just fire-fighting. In the Fifties, lack of technology meant a lot of daily physical activity was a necessity.’ With this in mind, I set about leading the gadget-free life of a Fifties housewife for a day to see if there really is a startling contrast with my everyday life. Using the latest in pedometer technology, a Nike+ FuelBand, I can measure how many calories I burn and how far I walk. Hard graft: Alice as she might have looked as a Fifties housewife I consider myself to be moderately active. I have children aged four, six and seven and I work from home. After doing the school run, I tidy the house and then work in my study until I pick up the children at 3.30pm. I also jog two or three times a week. Lunch tends to be grabbed in haste – baked beans on toast or a tuna sandwich, with frequent recourse to the biscuit tin. Admittedly, I have a cleaner who comes once a week, but otherwise I rely on modern technology to help me out: I have a car, a cordless Dyson that is so high-tech you can virtually stand still and vacuum a whole room, and the washing machine and tumble dryer are on constantly. Wearing my FuelBand on a normal day, I am surprised to discover I walk 9,552 steps – a little less than four miles – and this burns 671 calories. It seems a lot. The 2008 Health Survey for England showed that, on average, Britons were sedentary for six or more hours every day, and almost half of that time was spent watching television. Only six per cent of men and four per cent of women met the Government’s recommendations for activity – 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise five days a week. I calculate that I spend more than five hours sitting. I take more than 12,000 steps on a day when I go for a jog – but only burn 100 calories more than normal. As my guide for my experiment, I use a housekeeping manual that was a bestseller in the early Fifties – How to Run Your Home without Help by Kay Smallshaw. My grandmother was a housewife on the Isle of Man in the Fifties, and I also ask her for advice. It appears women then relied much more on hard graft. In 1952, just 33 per cent of homes had a washing machine and only 15 per cent had a fridge. Vacuum cleaners had been invented but were not yet prevalent. My day is divided into three main parts. First, the daily tidying – making the beds, dusting and sweeping. This should take up to two hours, according to Smallshaw. Next is shopping, preparing food and clearing up – three to four hours a day. Finally, each day ought to have a special task: washing on Monday, baking on Wednesday, and so on. Again, I should earmark two to three hours for these. I’m exhausted simply reading this list – I calculate I’m about to spend between seven and nine hours on the move. But it’s important to consider the psychology of the age. ‘Cleanliness was a mark of respectability,’ points out Dr Liz Yardley, a lecturer in sociology at Birmingham City University. ‘Sitting down was only acceptable in the evening.’ After grudgingly cleaning the fireplace – my grandmother’s suggestion –  I rouse my children and offer them porridge for breakfast rather than their customary Cheerios. I eat this as well, instead of my usual toast and Marmite. We leave home 30 minutes earlier than usual to get to school.  In the early Fifties, only three million households owned a car: six per cent of the population. I want us to walk but we live eight miles away from the school, so as a compromise I park a mile from the gates and we go on foot the rest of the way, getting to school just in time.  The children skip along narrow pavements as cars whizz past. I’m terrified they’re going to fall into the road. But it’s unquestionably better for us than parking just yards from the playground.  The NHS recommends we should walk 10,000 steps a day and yet the average person manages only between 3,000 and 4,000. ‘There is good evidence supporting the notion that the more you walk, the better your health,’ says Dr Peter Scarborough, Senior Researcher in Public Health at Oxford University. Laundry day: Alice is forced to do the washing at the sink and dries them the old-fashioned way - with a mangle My day’s walking has barely started. Even if you were lucky enough to own a fridge in the Fifties, it wouldn’t hold much, and most food had to be bought on a daily basis. So, I’m off to the shops. At the butcher’s, I buy lamb chops for lunch, a loaf of bread from the baker’s and asparagus at the greengrocer’s (OK, Waitrose). It’s just 9am and I’ve already walked almost two-and-a-half miles and burnt 300 calories. On a normal day, I would have burnt only 146 by now. Back at home, it’s time to start tidying. Rather than dashing around the bedrooms flicking back duvets and whizzing the Dyson about, I go upstairs with a carpet sweeper (to emulate the effort needed with a cumbersome Fifties vacuum cleaner), a duster, a cloth for wiping down the bathrooms, Vim, furniture polish and a brush to reach those awkward corners. By 10am, I have walked more than three miles – including running up and down the stairs putting things away – and burnt 80 calories more. My arms ache from pushing the carpet sweeper. I finish with the kitchen. Rather than vacuuming the floor – my default activity for crumbs – I sweep it thoroughly and then clean it with a mop. At 12.45pm, I already feel exhausted but am still pleased to note I have used 687 calories and walked 9,416 steps. That’s nearly all of my usual day’s walking in just one morning. But I don’t have time to sit down – there’s lunch to prepare.  Sixty years ago, many husbands would come home for a meal. As luck would have it, mine is working from home today: and he is enchanted by my temporary role. Back in the day: It is rapidly becoming clear why women were so much slimmer 60 years ago. Normally I might throw a bowl of tomato soup at him (not literally) – but not today. I’ve cooked the lamb chops with a jacket potato and seasonal vegetables.  I estimate this is about 700 calories, which is less than baked beans on buttered toast with cheese. I can tell my husband rather wishes I really was a Fifties housewife. Before I pick up the children, I have to tackle the laundry, though all I want to do is browse Facebook.  I am forced to do the washing at the sink. I also put tea towels and dishcloths in a pan of boiling water on the stove.  I only have one basketful to get through, yet it takes me an hour as each sopping-wet item has to be rinsed, wrung out and then hung outside.  However, when I’ve finished I am pleased to note that I have now burnt off more than 800 calories. Experts agree that snacking is a factor behind our girth today. ‘Statistics point to us consuming the same or fewer calories compared with in the Fifties, but they don’t take into account food eaten outside the house,’ says Dr Scarborough. ‘I think we are consuming a lot more than these surveys suggest.’ Often, en route to picking up the children, I might munch a bar of chocolate or a packet of crisps. But I’m still full from lunch. ‘We had proper meals, so we didn’t need snacks,’ points out my grandmother. ‘And ladies never ate in the street.’ Usually, when I get home from the afternoon school run, I sit down and check my emails while the children play outside. Instead, today I bake a cake with my youngest and then eat tea with the children as I’m so hungry. This is probably about 700 calories. I also consume two large slices of the cake we made, before doing the washing-up. By the time the children are in bed at 7.30pm, I’ve burnt 1,318 calories and walked seven-and-a-half miles. The minimum amount of energy the body needs to function is known as the basal metabolic rate, and using a calculator on sainsburysdiets.co.uk I work out I require 1,298 calories a day before factoring in any energy needed for physical activity.  The average woman expends 700 more calories on top of this in daily activities. Theoretically, calories consumed above this total are unnecessary and are stored as fat. Due to my activity as a Fifties housewife, I could consume more than 2,600 calories a day without putting on an ounce. As a bonus, I sleep excellently. ‘Our current environment is obesogenic [fat-making],’ says Professor David Haslam of the National Obesity Forum. ‘We are so technically advanced that we barely need to move.  ‘In 1952, we were still emerging from the effects of two wars and had rationing. Although we had the National Grid and homes had electricity, central heating was still in the future. ‘Now, most of us don’t even have to shiver to keep warm in winter.’ This is all very well, but I wouldn’t say I’m quite a convert – I would have to give up work to sustain such a time-consuming lifestyle. And as for living without central heating . . . Resource: No wonder they were so slim in the Fifties! Forget jogging and the gym... Alice Smellie discovers the fastest way to burn 2,600 calories: Live like it's 1952! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-/1950s-housewives-kept-slim-burning-calories-housework.html How many calories can I burn doing housework? Here's how many calories a 150-pound person burns in 30 minutes of doing these household chores: Moving furniture -- 225 calories Scrubbing floors -- 189 calories Raking leaves -- 171 calories Gardening -- 169 calories Mowing the lawn -- 162 calories Washing the car -- 153 calories Cleaning windows -- 153 calories Dr. Mike Clark, DPT , Fitness, answered on behalf of Sharecare Fitness While age, weight, and gender play a role, on average it’s possible to burn anywhere from 100-300 calories per hour doing housework, all depending on the type of activity and vigor with which you do it. Use the following estimates, based on a body weight of 150lbs, to help you determine how many calories you might burn doing about an hour of typical daily housework/ cleaning: Sweeping x 10 minutes = 37 calories Vacuuming x 10 minutes = 37 calories Ironing x 20 minutes = 50 calories Mopping x 20 minutes = 42 calories Making beds x 10 minutes = 23 calories Washing dishes x 10minutes = 26 calories Total time:  1hr 10 minutes = 215 calories  Resource: How many calories can I burn doing housework? https://www.sharecare.com/health/calories/how-calories-burn-doing-housework HOW MANY CALORIES DOES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY USE (BURN)? A 154-pound man who is 5' 10" will use up (burn) about the number of calories listed doing each activity below. Those who weigh more will use more calories; those who weigh less will use fewer calories. The calorie values listed include both calories used by the activity and the calories used for normal body functioning during the activity time.   For more information on calories and physical activity, see the:   SuperTracker's Physical Activity Tracker Approximate calories used (burned) by a 154-pound man MODERATE physical activities: 1 HOUR 30 minutes Hiking 370 185 Light gardening/ yard work 330 165 Dancing 330 165 Golf (walking and carrying clubs) 330 165 Bicycling (less than 10 mph) 290 145 Walking (3.5 mph) 280 140 Weight training (general light workout) 220 110 Stretching 180 90 VIGOROUS physical activities: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES Running/ jogging (5 mph) 590 295 Bicycling (more than 10 mph) 590 295 Swimming (slow freestyle laps) 510 255 Aerobics 480 240 Walking (4.5 mph) 460 230 Heavy yard work (chopping wood) 440 220 Weight lifting (vigorous effort) 440 220 Basketball (vigorous) 440 220 Resource: HOW MANY CALORIES DOES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY USE (BURN)? https://www.choosemyplate.gov/physical-activity-calories-burn