The Molly Maid Workout! (Or, how to make Sian's blood boil)

Every now and again, I think women, feminism and general lady ass kicking is coming on in strides. And then a press release from Molly Maid Workout landed in my inbox. I swear, I haven't written this, it is a real press release. The only edits I've done is to put the really really special bits in bold:

DITCH THE GYM FOR THE MOLLY MAID WORKOUT

- A third of UK’s women would reconsider their gym membership if they knew how to combine exercise with household chores

- ‘Super Slim and squeaky clean – how to get fit while you clean’

A domestic revolution is about to be unleashed on Britain’s households – a new ‘Workout’ by MOLLY MAID, the UK’s leading domestic cleaning company, in an effort to encourage UK’s women to combine exercise with their cleaning routines – something which MOLLY MAID has long known about.

With only a few modifications to the MOLLY MAID cleaning system, which has been used to clean homes for more than 25 years, the MOLLY MAID Workout enables women to burn up to an extra 150* calories an hour. The MOLLY MAID Workout is set to transform the lives of many busy women who find it difficult to juggle day-to-day tasks at the expense of their health and fitness. With the Workout, guilt-ridden and time-poor women will have the opportunity to address two tasks simultaneously whilst freeing up valuable time for other duties and activities.

The MOLLY MAID Workout, which may change the way we do cleaning in the home forever, is very simple, yet has surprisingly effective results. Along with a physical fitness expert, MOLLY MAID has expanded on some of their routine household cleaning chores to make house cleaning even more of a physical workout. The MOLLY MAID Workout incorporates tasks including dusting, cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming, with simple yet vigorous exercises such as stretches, lunges, squats and bends to increase fitness.

The MOLLY MAID Workout was put together following a recent survey (OnePoll February 2010) revealing that while almost half of the 2,000 women questioned complained that they did not have enough time to exercise, an astonishing 70 percent admitted they would like to lose weight.

Furthermore, two thirds of the women surveyed spent between one and three hours cleaning a week, so MOLLY MAID pinpointed this as an ideal opportunity to combine exercise and fitness with the usual household cleaning routine.

By following the MOLLY MAID Workout, it is possible to burn the same amount of calories in two hours of continuous cleaning, as in an hour’s running, or an hour’s vigorous swimming.

Now, those weighed down by both the drudgery of housework AND those extra unwanted pounds, could begin to feel like domestic goddesses as a result of incorporating the MOLLY MAID Workout into their weekly routines.

Pam Bader OBE, Chief Executive of MOLLY MAID, added: “Our survey showed that a third of respondents would go so far as reconsidering their gym membership if they could combine exercising with household chores. With over 25 years of experience, we’ve burnt a few calories and stretched a few muscles at MOLLY MAID, so we’re happy to share some of our top tips in this Workout.

“For many of us time-poor individuals cleaning is a chore, so with the onset of Spring and with Summer just around the corner it’s good to know that you can actually make your spring clean work twice as hard for you. Of course, if the whole concept is too daunting you can always rely on the experts!”

If you do find that you prefer a brisk walk in the fresh air as opposed to cleaning the loo, or going for an invigorating run rather than dusting the bookshelves, or, if like a third of the ladies surveyed, you find the thought of a wholesome spring clean ‘overwhelming’, then visit MOLLY MAID at www.mollymaid.uk to call in the professionals.

Fran Silver, a Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) personal trainer at FS Fitness, has some top tips when taking part in the MOLLY MAID Workout.

• Always ensure you start by warming up and get the blood pumping – put on your favourite music, and dance while you dust.
• With vacuuming rated by 50 percent of survey respondents as the most satisfying household chore, you can now use this task to ensure you are also working larger muscle groups – quads, glutes and hamstrings.
• Finish off by focusing on the smaller muscles groups – shoulders, biceps, triceps (bathroom, work surfaces).
• And if you’re still feeling energetic then throw in 20 abdominal crunches at the end!
• To cool down walk round your house for 5 minutes admiring your handiwork. Stay away from the sweet treats as a reward though!

ENDS

I'm crying into my gin and valium right now. Welcome to 1950.

Flickr image from alancleaver_2000's photostream.