Get down, get dirty, get fit If you have failed with one exercise program after another, you'll be happy to know you can find fitness among the flora.
Studies show you can bum 300 to 400 calories an hour gardening with heavy digging, raking laying sod, or turning compost. That's good as a brisk walk.
Suggestions:
1. Use an old-fashioned push mower instead of a power mower. Also, use a hand rake, not a power leaf blower.
2. Wear leg and wrist weights to increase calories burned while mowing, raking, or gardening.
3. Split tasks into shorter segments, especially in the spring after laying off all winter.
The idea is not necessarily to finish tasks, but to space the work out so you can do at least a 30-minute workout almost every day.
Think creatively about motions, positions, and stances. For example, instead of bending at the back to rake or weed, sider wide-legged bending at the knees for lunging and rocking. It helps your back and improves leg strength and flexibility.
