Hillary Chybinski: Trying to Get Fit? Give Gardening a Try!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Trying to Get Fit? Give Gardening a Try!

Gardening your way to better fitness.

Is your resolution to get fit starting to lose it's luster?  Have you given up on the gym? Bored with Zumba?

Then it may be time to try a new activity.

You could take up golf or tennis. . .or get out in the backyard and play with your kids. Basketball or a game of catch are both good ways to burn some calories and keep your kids entertained.

But there's a sneaky way to burn some calories AND add some curb appeal to your house.

GARDENING!

Yep, gardening not only makes your yard look better, but it can give you a pretty good workout too. In fact, according to a recent article in Birds and Bloom Magazine, you can burn up to 200 calories in just a half hour!  Granted, that is by using a push mower. . .but there are other activities you can do in the garden that burn calories AND make your yard the envy of the neighborhood.

Just a half-hour of these activities can burn more than 100 calories:

Digging and Spading Dirt - 190 calories
Weeding - 170 calories
Planting Seedlings -150 calories
Raking - 130 calories
Trimming Shrubs (with a power tool) - 110 calories

Add in a morning or afternoon walk, and you're on your way to better health!

Even a riding mower can burn 70 calories in a half hour!

So this spring, plan to head to your local Flower Show, grab those seed catalogs and start designing the garden of your dreams. . .you may just end up with a beautiful yard to do your yoga routine in this summer.

What sneaky ways do you act fitness into your day?

catch you soon -


11 comments:

  1. Great recommendation! I can feel spring coming and can't wait to get out and get started in my garden!

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  2. It's fun to learn how every day chores can help with weight loss. With gardening, you get a beautiful outcome, or some delicious veggies/fruit.

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  3. and if you are growing veggies, its an added bonus! ;-)

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  4. Great idea! We have a neglected garden during the summer. Maybe if I didn't neglect it so much, I'd get a double benefit. :)

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  5. Love having this break-down on burning calories. Plus, if you eat more of what you grow, that's better than all the processed foods!

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  6. I always wonder when I've spent a day collecting and bagging branches, leaves and weeds how many calories I've burned...

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  7. Love the idea of gardening in theroy .. maybe this year you made good fitness points

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  8. Thanks for listing those numbers! I am really hoping to get outside this year. We have a lot of work to do!

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  9. I'm getting ready to till my Grandma's garden, which is a little over an acre. I'm always fitter when I'm working outside and gardening. Good points!

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  10. Seriously I've tried and everything DIES!!! I need to just get back on the wagon.

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