How to Lose Weight Gardening
Start slowly., Garden at least 3 to 5 times a week for 30 minutes to an hour., Vary gardening activities.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Start slowly.
If you are not currently physically active, begin a gardening routine slowly.
Most gardening tasks require the use of several muscle groups.
If you start off slowly, you may avoid muscle strain and soreness.
Begin by planting and watering plants.
Add some light weeding.
As you become stronger, add more strenuous tasks like digging, mowing the lawn or pushing a wheelbarrow. -
Step 2: Garden at least 3 to 5 times a week for 30 minutes to an hour.
To lose weight and maximize health benefits, a regular gardening routine is important.
If you do not have 30 minutes to 1 hour available at one time, break up the gardening tasks into smaller periods of time.
For example, weed for 20 minutes in the morning and mow the lawn for 20 minutes in the afternoon.
Plan a gardening activity each day.
To lose weight gardening, you must work in the garden at least 3 to 5 times each week.
Plan activities for each gardening session to make the best use of that time.
For example, weed a garden bed for 30 minutes one day and turn compost for 30 minutes the next.
Continue the gardening activities in the winter.
If you live in an area with a cold winter climate, the garden may not need daily tending.
However, continue the exercise routine.
Shovel snow, split wood or rake leaves to continue the gardening weight loss. , Rather than working on a strenuous gardening activity for 1 hour, break up garden tasks into more moderate activities.
For example, break up a session of strenuous digging with flower deadheading.
Rotate through a variety of gardening exercises each week.
Consider a few of the following activities to vary your gardening routine.
Mow the lawn with a push mower.
A push mower, rather than a riding mower, provides great cardiovascular exercise.
During the summer months, mow the lawn once or twice a week.
If your yard is too large to use a push mower in a single session, divide the lawn into small areas and mow each area over the course of a week.
Dig holes.
Digging holes for fence posts, flower transplants or new trees builds muscles in the stomach, legs, shoulders, arms, neck and back.
Instead of using gas- or electric-powered post hole diggers, get out a shovel and dig a hole yourself.
Start a compost pile.
Compost is a valuable fertilizer for the garden, but also presents an opportunity for gardening exercise.
Turning or rotating compost with a pitchfork burns about 250 to 300 calories every 30 minutes.
Weed to lose weight.
Weeding helps tone your legs, arms, shoulders and back.
The more resistant your weeds, the better workout you will be.
When weeding, switch arm and leg positions to ensure even muscle use throughout your body.
Instead of spraying weeds with chemicals, pull them out yourself to expend extra calories and tone your muscles. -
Step 3: Vary gardening activities.
Detailed Guide
If you are not currently physically active, begin a gardening routine slowly.
Most gardening tasks require the use of several muscle groups.
If you start off slowly, you may avoid muscle strain and soreness.
Begin by planting and watering plants.
Add some light weeding.
As you become stronger, add more strenuous tasks like digging, mowing the lawn or pushing a wheelbarrow.
To lose weight and maximize health benefits, a regular gardening routine is important.
If you do not have 30 minutes to 1 hour available at one time, break up the gardening tasks into smaller periods of time.
For example, weed for 20 minutes in the morning and mow the lawn for 20 minutes in the afternoon.
Plan a gardening activity each day.
To lose weight gardening, you must work in the garden at least 3 to 5 times each week.
Plan activities for each gardening session to make the best use of that time.
For example, weed a garden bed for 30 minutes one day and turn compost for 30 minutes the next.
Continue the gardening activities in the winter.
If you live in an area with a cold winter climate, the garden may not need daily tending.
However, continue the exercise routine.
Shovel snow, split wood or rake leaves to continue the gardening weight loss. , Rather than working on a strenuous gardening activity for 1 hour, break up garden tasks into more moderate activities.
For example, break up a session of strenuous digging with flower deadheading.
Rotate through a variety of gardening exercises each week.
Consider a few of the following activities to vary your gardening routine.
Mow the lawn with a push mower.
A push mower, rather than a riding mower, provides great cardiovascular exercise.
During the summer months, mow the lawn once or twice a week.
If your yard is too large to use a push mower in a single session, divide the lawn into small areas and mow each area over the course of a week.
Dig holes.
Digging holes for fence posts, flower transplants or new trees builds muscles in the stomach, legs, shoulders, arms, neck and back.
Instead of using gas- or electric-powered post hole diggers, get out a shovel and dig a hole yourself.
Start a compost pile.
Compost is a valuable fertilizer for the garden, but also presents an opportunity for gardening exercise.
Turning or rotating compost with a pitchfork burns about 250 to 300 calories every 30 minutes.
Weed to lose weight.
Weeding helps tone your legs, arms, shoulders and back.
The more resistant your weeds, the better workout you will be.
When weeding, switch arm and leg positions to ensure even muscle use throughout your body.
Instead of spraying weeds with chemicals, pull them out yourself to expend extra calories and tone your muscles.
About the Author
Jeffrey Cole
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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