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tools : quick guide cards : physical activity : how to
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Household Circuit Activity Program
Why is this important?
- Diverse forms of physical activity have been shown to improve health outcomes and reduce risk for chronic disease.
- Systematically combining a number of household and yard chores in a defined period of time or "circuit" can improve daily energy expenditure without having to travel to a gym or exercise class.
- Doing domestic chores as a circuit activity may result in significant caloric expenditure and weight loss. This can reduce risk for developing diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions.
Action steps:
- Complete a Domestic Physical Activity History Form [PDF - 44KB] on the patient before assigning specific household or yard chores to the circuit.
- Complete the Household Circuit Form [PDF - 37KB] by coupling two or more household, yard or community activities spaced with 1- or 2-minute rest break periods.
- The duration of each activity or chore depends on the time requirement of the chore/activity but is generally between 5-15 minutes.
- In the beginning two or three activities will be sufficient; however as the participant's stamina and fitness improve each circuit should increase to include six to ten diverse activities.
- Always start and end the circuit with activity that requires a low-level physical effort, e.g., easy stretching or slow walking and then add activities in an order that requires increasing effort.
- The total time for the circuit should be between 20-90 minutes depending on the health status and fitness of the participant.
- The total energy expenditure (kcal) will be dependent on the total duration, average intensity or work load of the circuit activities and the body mass of the participant.
- Refer to the Ainsworth's Compendium of Activities
which compares hundreds of domestic activities by their relative energy expenditure (in METs).
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