Laura McDonald Health: calories burned during gardening

Turn Your Garden Into a Natural Gym-Gardening is Good Exercise!

Gardening is fabulous exercise because it incorporates many of the components of a moderate to intense fitness routine, such as stretching, repetition moves and even the resistance principles similar to lifting weights. As you cultivate your garden you’re also reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and burning calories.
You’ll also be improving your balance and flexibility, keeping your mind sharp, increasing your energy, stamina and strengthening your heart---overall improving your quality of life!

A person who weighs about 150 pounds and spends at least 30 minutes a day performing moderate to intense gardening can burn 150-200 calories. Of course this isn’t just standing there watering the flowers, but weeding, digging, hoeing, raking, etc. As you garden many different muscle groups are being used. Squatting, bending and lifting works your glutes, hamstrings, thighs, core and back muscles. Lifting and reaching, pushing and pulling works your upper body, some lower body muscle groups and your mid-section. Being outdoors preparing the soil, weeding and planting in your garden help you achieve a meditative state which is good for the brain, helps sharpen memory and relaxes the mind while you forget about the normal stresses and anxiety of everyday life.

Gardening Exercise Tips:

Begin with a simple warm up exercise (stroll around your garden a few times.)
Stretch a few minutes and take breaks to stretch between heavy gardening tasks.
Focus on breathing deeply and make sure you don’t hold your breath during strenuous activities.
Alternate limbs (ex: when raking put your left foot forward and use left hand on the lower part of the handle, switch foot/hand periodically.)
When lifting bend your knees and keep your back straight.
Vary your gardening duties, don’t overdo any specific task.
Listen to your body, avoid any activity that is painful.
Take breaks whenever needed and stay hydrated.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of gardening in the beginning. This can be broken up into smaller 10 or 15 minute sessions.
Take some time to smell the roses!