Gardening is an excellent hobby that also provides a full body workout. Gardening gets you back to nature; it allows you to reap a natural bounty of fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables while conferring a range of health benefits. Gardening has long been medically advocated as a stress-busting calorie-burning exercise. Everyday gardening tasks involve bending, stretching, walking, kneeling, squatting; exercising all the muscle groups of the body. Gardening work like raking leaves, mowing the lawn, planting seeds, spraying pesticides, carrying manure, weeding, watering, trimming, et al, can be moderate or strenuous depending on the intensity. These repetitive tasks are comparable to a regimen of aerobic exercise as running or walking. Furthermore, gardening is a pleasurable diversion; hence this exercise is a complete de-stressor.

Gardening tasks and calories

It is maintained that fitness terms as strength, flexibility, resistance, and endurance can be applied to gardening. Gardening can be engaged in daily and like any other calorie burning exercise should be indulged in consistently for a minimum period of 30 minutes. Different gardening tasks work out different groups of muscles. For instance, spading and digging are moderate to heavy intensity workouts that involve muscles in the upper body, back and legs. Women burn approximately 180 calories while men expend 235 calories in a 30 minute period. While planting, women burn 135 calories while men expend 177 calories every 30 minutes. Weeding gives the legs, buttocks, and hamstrings a moderate workout; women burn 138 calories and men 181 for every 30 minutes. Raking provides a moderate workout for arms, shoulders, and back; women burn 120 and men 157 for every 30 minutes.

Summary

Gardening then involves a comprehensive workout for all muscle groups. It is a relaxing antidote to modern day pressures and stress. Remember the workout your muscles receive is unconscious exercise that is equivalent to an intensive schedule of running, walking or swimming. Opt for gardening to burn away unwanted calories while you smell the roses. Gardening will trim your figure and not your budget. And all this while it garners a healthy output of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to tantalize your palate. So indulge in gardening as a good sport.

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