Gardening is one of the most ancient forms of exercise. By gardening at a steady rate with moderate physical labor you could burn up to 200 calories per hour! Last summer when I moved home from Gulf Shores, Alabama I struggled to get back in the routines of my old Indiana lifestyle. Without the beach, college homework, or a full-time job I was quickly bored. I noticed my parents’ rock garden had been overtaken with weeds. Although Indiana-grown, I’ll admit I’m no farm girl and manual labor was not something I was used to doing. Curiosity originally lead me to pull the weeds, but by the end of the evening I was completely consumed with my weed-pulling project. I was hooked- and sweating like crazy! I planned to run that day- like I did every day, but after spending over two hours pulling weeds I was exhausted!
A few more days of pulling weeds and my project was complete. It was actually really nice to be outside enjoying the Indiana fall weather. If I had any more creative ideas or extra cash I would have attempted to plant a flower or something. My family and I keep saying we’d like to have a small garden where we can grow our own fresh vegetables, but so far we haven’t done so. Maybe this summer I’ll take my own advice and put this Gardening Work(out) back in action.
Some Gardening Work(out) Tips:
- Stretch before and after (just like any other exercise routine)
- Drink plenty of water
- Wear sunscreen & Hat
- Wear closed-toed shoes- no flip flops!
- Wear proper gardening gloves
- Take breaks every 30-60 minutes – Don’t over-exert yourself
- Practice proper lifting & straining techniques – save your back!
- Like any exercise routine, be sure to have clearance from your physician before beginning any strenuous exercise
What’s your favorite thing about gardening?
Stay safe in the garden. You may need to upgrade some of your Gardening Tools
