Moving House Burns More Calories Than the Gym. Here’s Why

Boxes. Packing. Unpacking. Heavy Lifting. Moving house is not for sissies.

It ranks as one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life and, to boot, it’s not just emotional upheaval. It’s a physical workout unlike any other.

A study by British gym chain PureGym found that moving house is equivalent to running two marathons.

The research calculated the weight, distance and effort involved in relocating an average home and compared the energy burn to popular workouts. The results were rather surprising.

A two-bedroom house move can burn 5 206 calories, the same as running two marathons, while carrying furniture out of a four-bedroom home equals 14 hours of spin class.

Even a small one-bedroom flat clocks up more than 3 000 calories, roughly 13 hours of weightlifting.

The study also showed that more than 70 percent of people said moving house left them physically drained, and one in five admitted they were completely unprepared for how tough it would be.

Moving is physically draining

Personal trainer Alvin Walter from PureGym created the Moving House Boot Camp to help people prepare, because he said most people underestimate just how physical the experience is.

“People likely underestimate the physical toll of moving house because they are focusing on the logistics and the end goal, rather than the manual labour involved in lifting heavy and awkward items for hours on end,” he said.

“For a lot of people, their first few moves are either done as a kid, where they are not involved in the heavy lifting, or from rented houses, which tend to be furnished. It is only when you have to move a lot of furniture and years’ worth of stuff that you realise how challenging moving can be.”

The study found that movers carry up to 3 850 kilograms in total weight and take thousands of steps over several hours.

Time is also tick-toking.

Moving out of a one-bedroom apartment can take more than six hours, while a four-bedroom move might last more than ten. Nearly a quarter of respondents who participated in the survey swore they would never do it again.

Movers carry almost 4000kg in a move

Walter said people should treat moving day more like a sporting event. “I would recommend treating moving day like an event and training with it in mind if you want to avoid possible injuries or general aches and pains,” he said.

“Build your strength and cardio fitness in the weeks leading up to the day. Perfect your lifting technique so you are not figuring it out on the day itself.”

He noted cardio endurance, strength and injury prevention exercises designed to prepare the body for awkward, repetitive movement would prove useful.

“Lifting and moving boxes requires full-body strength and endurance, and you need to be able to use that strength in unstable positions,” Walter said. “If I had to narrow it down, having a strong core and lower back is key for reducing injury risk, while leg strength and mobility help power you through a full day of lifting.”

He said that even experienced gym-goers can underestimate how hard a move can be.

“Even the most intense workout only lasts an hour or two. It is much more demanding on the body, with less attention paid to technique and movement quality than in a structured workout.” Walter suggested simple daily habits to improve endurance before moving day.

“A really simple way to incorporate movement into your routine is walking or cycling instead of driving, even if it is just the last kilometre of your journey,” he said. “If you are short on time, HIIT workouts are brilliant. Ten to fifteen minutes a day can make a huge difference to your stamina.”

Workout preps before moving

Walter added that building core and leg strength through exercises like planks, cat-cow stretches, dead bugs, split squats and calf raises to improve stability and balance when lifting heavy items.

To prepare for the unpredictable movements of moving day, he recommended burpees and kettlebell swings to build endurance and power.

After the move, he advised treating recovery like a post-marathon cooldown with gentle static stretching to ease tension and aid muscle repair.

He added that preparation and self-care matter as much as fitness.

“Warm up before you start, take regular breaks, eat energy-rich foods, stay hydrated and get a proper night’s sleep afterward,” he said.