Local moms might think of gardening as anything from relaxing to fun to tedious to annoying, but have you ever thought of it as exercise? Research shows that gardening for 30 to 40 minutes each day can have significant health benefits. According to Dan Hickey, former editor of National Gardening Magazine, 45 minutes of gardening can burn the same amount of calories as 30 minutes of aerobics. For example, research shows that 30 minutes of mowing the lawn with a push mower can burn 243 calories (180-pound person), laying sod burns 202 calories and weeding burns 182 calories. According to some studies, gardening can also help maintain healthy bone mass, increase flexibility, strengthen joints, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. To maximize the exercise gained from gardening, always stretch before you begin to reduce stiffness. It is also beneficial to use as little machinery as possible and stick with manual tools for the best workout. To avoid soreness or injury, work at a steady speed but make sure to change positions and activities on a regular basis--and always bend from the knees to prevent injuring your back. As always, remember to wear sunscreen when outdoors.
Here are some simple gardening activities that can be exercise:
- Raking—instead of using a leaf blower
- Mowing the lawn—use a manual reel mower to maximize calories burned
- Planting trees, shrubs, etc.
- Weeding
- Moving compost
- Spading
- Watering
- Tilling
- Laying sod
- Bagging leaves
- Trimming shrubs
Kelly Nelson is an intern for KC Parent Magazine. She is a junior at the University of Missouri and is studying Journalism and Spanish there.