Is housework physical activity? Sure. Does housework burn calories? Of course. Does it count as real exercise? That's where the argument comes in. Depending on who you talk to, housework is either a workout waiting to happen or it's just a means for people to fool themselves that they're getting exercise. My personal opinion is that although housework is a great way to be active (especially if you really throw yourself into it) it's more of a supplement to an exercise plan than an entire exercise plan all by itself. This article makes a lot of good points about why housework doesn't count as a good fitness regimen, including the lack of increased resistance as you get healthier and the fact that many tasks are done fairly quickly so hour long calorie-burning charts aren't realistic.