Ever finish scrubbing your floors or hauling in groceries and think, “There. That totally counts as my workout.”? You’re not wrong, it counts as movement. But I am going to push back on that a bit. Because if cleaning your house built muscle, every mom would be walking around with visible biceps and a rock-solid core.
Cleaning your house? That’s movement. Running errands? Movement. Chasing kids, folding laundry, gardening? All movement. And movement absolutely matters.
But movement isn’t the same thing as training. If your goal is to actually get stronger, build, muscle, improve your endurance, or see progress, being busy isn’t enough. So let’s break down why both daily movement and intentional strength training are important… and why one can’t replace the other.
First, let’s be clear about something: Daily movement matters. A lot.
In fact, the average 60-minute workout usually doesn’t burn as many total calories as simply being in motion throughout your entire day. Walking, cleaning, carrying kids, errands, standing, gardening - that all adds up.
(And yes, structured workouts boost something called EPOC, the “afterburn effect”, which we’ll get into in a minute.)
But first, let’s talk about something called NEAT. NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. In simple terms? It’s your everyday activity. Everything you do that isn’t intentional exercise.
And NEAT is important. It supports:
Overall health
Daily energy expenditure (calorie burn)
Circulation
Metabolic function
Being active throughout the day is a good thing. Period. But here’s where we shift. NEAT keeps you moving. It does not progressively challenge your muscles, and that’s the difference.
Cleaning your house might make you tired. It might make you sweaty. It might even make you sore. But it lacks the key ingredients required to actually build muscle and strength:
Progressive overload (gradually increasing resistance over time)
Structured resistance
Intentional intensity
Muscle fatigue that leads to adaptation
Consistent, repeatable movement patterns
Those are the things that signal your body to grow stronger. Busy? Yes. Challenged progressively? Not necessarily.
If your goals include longevity, strength, energy, and feeling good in your body long-term, this part matters. Here’s the reality: Women begin losing muscle mass after age 30 at a rate of about 3–5% per decade if we’re not actively working to maintain it. (1) Bone density begins to decline around age 35, increasing the risk of osteoporosis as we move into perimenopause and beyond.
Hormones shift. Metabolism changes. Recovery looks different. That’s not meant to scare you. It’s meant to empower you. Because while those changes are natural… they are not unchangeable, and this is exactly where resistance training becomes non-negotiable. Strength training is how we fight back.
It builds and preserves muscle. It strengthens your bones. It supports your metabolism and hormone health. And just as importantly? It prepares your body for real life. Resistance training doesn’t just make you “fit.” It makes you capable.
It teaches you how to squat, hinge, brace, push, pull, and carry correctly so lifting your toddler, hauling groceries, gardening, or carrying laundry up the stairs doesn’t leave your back aching.
And unlike random daily movement, intentional strength training also triggers something called EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption) often referred to as the “afterburn effect.” Meaning your body continues using energy even after your workout is over. According to one study, the EPOC effect produces a 6% to 15% increase in overall calorie consumption. So, if you use 300 calories during a workout, you may burn up to 45 bonus calories from EPOC. (2)
As women, especially as we move through our 30s, 40s, and beyond, that resilience isn’t optional. It’s protective.
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s this: Daily movement keeps you active. Resistance training makes you resilient.
Keep cleaning. Keep gardening. Keep walking, carrying, chasing, and living your full, busy life. That movement absolutely counts for your overall health. But don’t confuse being busy with building strength.
If you want to get stronger, if you want to protect your bones and muscles, if you want more energy, better metabolism, and a body that supports you for decades to come… You have to be intentional. You have to be consistent.
And if you’re not sure how to structure that into your week, that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Our classes are designed to help you train for real life, build strength safely, and stay consistent (even in the chaos of motherhood).
Your first class is always free.
Let’s stop just being tired… and start being strong.
(1) https://womenshealth.gov/sarcopenia/about-sarcopenia
(2) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/understanding-epoc