Just 30-45 minutes of gardening can burn up to 150 calories for a 154-pound person. This means landscaping and yard work is good exercise. It works out your muscles and is as good as walking or Pilates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it’s a muscle-strengthening activity. This improves your mobility, makes you stronger, and helps lower stress. So, gardening is a fun hobby that’s also a great way to stay in shape.
Key Takeaways
- Gardening can provide a moderate to vigorous workout, burning up to 330 calories per hour.
- Landscaping tasks like digging, lifting, and pushing wheelbarrows provide strength training, improving bone and joint health.
- Gardening engages all major muscle groups, helping to improve mobility and endurance.
- Spending time in the garden can boost mood and alleviate stress.
- Starting gradually and pacing yourself is key to preventing injuries when taking up gardening as a fitness routine.
The Fitness Benefits of Gardening and Yard Work
Gardening and yard work offer great exercise. The CDC states a 154-pound person might burn 330 calories per hour. This is similar to playing golf or dancing. Activities like digging, planting, and mowing can improve your heart health and body strength.
Calorie Burning and Aerobic Exercise
The CDC recommends adults do 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. This includes gardening tasks like raking or trimming shrubs. Doing these activities also count as strength training. It helps keep your heart healthy and builds muscle.
Gardening and yard work are great for your muscles. Tasks such as digging and carrying mulch help work your major muscle groups. They burn calories, build stronger bones and joints, and can aid in weight loss. Gardening is soft on your body but hard on calories.
Older adults who garden have been found to have better heart health. Gardening could become more popular for exercise as its benefits become more well-known.
“Engaging in activities such as gardening and yard work can be beneficial for physical fitness and overall health.”
If you want to burn calories or get stronger, gardening is a great way to exercise. It lets you enjoy the outdoors too. Including gardening in your routine can boost your health and happiness.
Embracing Gardening as a Fitness Routine
Think of gardening as more than a hobby. It’s a full fitness routine with lots of outdoor exercise benefits. Make your gardening time count by including a warm-up and stretching, just like you would for a workout.
Warm-up and Stretching
Begin with a short walk in your yard or garden. This gets your blood flowing for the tasks ahead. Add some gentle stretches for your back, shoulders, and legs. This helps prevent injuries and makes your gardening more effective.
As you work in the garden, pay attention to how you stand and move. Change positions often to avoid straining the same muscles or joints. Use your core and legs when lifting or digging. This lowers the risk of injuries and tired arms.
Take regular breaks to drink water and let your body recover. Doing it right, with proper posture, mixing movements, and resting, keeps gardening safe and beneficial as exercise.
“Gardening is a great way to stay active and improve your overall fitness. By treating it like any other workout and incorporating a warm-up and stretching, you can get the most out of your time in the garden.” – Fitness Enthusiast
Gardening can be your go-to for getting fit and healthy. All it takes is sticking to these simple tips. You’ll get to enjoy the outdoor exercise benefits and pursue a more active lifestyle.
The Holistic Benefits of Landscaping
Gardening and landscaping are more than just physical work. They bring joy and peace to our minds. Being in green spaces and doing outdoor landscaping fitness can lift our spirits. It cuts stress, fights loneliness, and helps our brains stay sharp.
Watching a green space grow is rewarding. It makes us feel good all around. Landscaping is a great way to be active, fitting into busy lives. It adds a fun twist to staying healthy.
“Gardening activities can burn as many calories as a workout in the gym, improving balance, strength, and flexibility.”
Working outdoors is good for your mind, too. It makes you less stressed and happier. This outdoor work can even decrease your risk of feeling very sad or anxious.
The friends we make while gardening can help us feel strong in hard times. These social ties can reduce stress and make us feel better every day.
Landscaping can even be a form of therapy. Making beautiful outdoor spots can improve our health. These areas can have calming features like water, seating, and nice lighting, bringing peace.
Adding green space and outdoor landscaping fitness to your life is good for you in many ways. It helps your body, mind, and feelings flourish.
Conclusion
Gardening and landscaping aren’t just fun; they’re also effective for staying active and getting fit. Turning these tasks into exercises helps work your whole body. This approach burns calories, boosts your strength, and also increases your endurance.
But it’s not just about physical health. Working with your hands in the dirt has big mental health perks. It can lower your stress levels and make you feel happier.
No matter if you’ve been gardening for years or just starting out, using it for fitness is a great idea. Studies back this up. They show gardening can make you less anxious, happier, and feel more connected with others.
Making gardening part of your workout helps in many ways. It’s a good form of cardio and also builds muscle. So, starting your own garden can really benefit your body and mind.
FAQ
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Source Links
- https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/07/health/gardening-exercise-benefits-wellness/index.html
- https://www.mpcp.com/articles/healthy-lifestyle/gardening-as-exercise/
- https://www.milorganite.com/blog/garden-landscape/healthful-benefits-gardening
- https://www.wellandgood.com/gardening-exercise
- https://wellness.nifs.org/blog/bid/83845/Fitness-Benefits-of-Gardening-and-Lawn-Work
- https://skinnerlawns.com/the-benefits-of-gardening-and-landscaping/
- https://renpho.com/blogs/wellness-fitness-blog/the-joy-of-gardening-cultivating-happiness-and-wellness
- https://heritage-rc.com/resources/how-gardening-can-help-seniors-stay-active
- https://pottstownfoundation.org/healthy-living/gardening-better-health
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551267/
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/dig-into-the-benefits-of-gardening
- https://www.remaxinfinity.ca/blog/the-healing-power-of-gardening-a-guide-to-therapeutic-landscaping.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6334070/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/healthful-benefits-of-gardening
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5153451/
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