Bernard O'Shea: Forget the gym - it's all about Incidental Exercise
Bernard O'Shea. Pic: Moya Nolan
As sedentary lifestyles became the norm, exercise evolved from natural, daily activity to structured fitness regimes.
The amount of time we sit in cars and office chairs has made us choose an hour in the gym or a brisk walk home to make up for our lack of movement.
But the extra exercise you need could be staring at you in the kitchen.
Enter my longtime domestic nemesis, the dishwasher, who has become my covert fitness ally.
In the past, I’d bemoaned the monotonous routine of loading and unloading it.
However, with the revelation of incidental exercise, these chores have transformed into opportunities for fitness and inching myself one tiny step closer from Dad Bod to Greek God.
The dishwasher, once a symbol of domestic liberation, has revealed its true nature over the years: It’s a vortex of despair, a merry-go-round of monotony.
The rogue droplets of water, lying in ambush on the underside of a mug, ready to leap out and splatter your clean, dry clothes, like the dishwasher is mocking you, reminding you that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, we’re still at the mercy of water’s whims.
It also reminds me of grocery shopping. You pack things away to unpack them again, but they are not exciting presents, just reminders of dull servitude.
As I stood there, loading and unloading, I thought the dishes were happier when hand-washed. At least then, they had the thrill of the occasional plate-breaking drama.
Being at home more or less full-time means I have to do more housework (If my wife reads this, she will more than likely reply to the editor of the Examiner saying this is an untruth).
I don’t mind sweeping the floors or cooking dinners, but I come close to a nervous breakdown when loading and unloading the dishwasher.
The dishes are just participants in the most boring carousel ever invented. I needed something to break the monotony.
Incidental exercise, the uncelebrated hero of our bustling lives, is about finding hidden health benefits in our daily routines. It’s about making every mundane activity a chance for exercise. W
ho knew that bending down to retrieve plates and stretching up to place glasses could be akin to a well-rounded gym session?
In their research, Robert Ross and K Ashlee McGuire discovered that everyday activities, often not considered exercise, like household chores or walking around, can significantly boost heart and lung health.
They studied less-active individuals with higher belly fat (that’s me) by using devices to monitor movement.
Their findings revealed that these routine actions, termed incidental physical activities (IPA), enhance fitness, particularly when slightly more vigorous, such as brisk walking or heavy lifting.
Daily tasks, like unloading the dishwasher or carrying groceries, positively affect cardiovascular health. It underscores the importance of all forms of movement for maintaining fitness.
Each time I face the dishwasher, I see a chance for a mini-workout. Bending down to grab a plate becomes a squat.
Reaching up to place a cup on a high shelf becomes a subtle stretch. Even sorting cutlery becomes an occasion for a bit of a dance of fitness as I twist and turn, giving my core a much-needed workout. (Think Jane Fonda meets an overweight, red-bearded man with a classic 1970’s rock soundtrack playing on my phone).
Unlike traditional exercise, which often demands dedicated time and specific settings, incidental exercise fits seamlessly into our lives. It doesn’t require gym clothes or equipment, just a willingness to see the ordinary tasks differently.
I’ve noticed a tiny boost in my mental well-being regarding my domestic duties. The task still feels like a chore, but it’s a chance to change my thoughts about those dreaded jobs I don’t want to do.
It’s an ode to how small, consistent activities can contribute to your overall health. I’ve also negated my partner’s remonstration. “For feck’s sake, Bernard, you didn’t empty the dishwasher again” has not been heard as often around the O’Shea household in the last six weeks.
I’ve also started using my Apple watch to record how many calories I burn. Yes, it is pathetic, but it turns mundane tasks into a game where I aim for a certain number each time I unload the dishwasher.
It’s not exactly pumping iron. Speaking of which, I wonder how many calories I’d burn ironing the school uniforms?
