Gardening

You may be wondering if gardening is counted as a physical activity? Believe it or not it is considered a moderate cardio-vascular activity. Just 30-45 minutes a day can give your heart and lungs a great workout and burn as many as 150-300 calories which is similar to jogging and cycling. All while making yourself a lovely space to spend time in.

Gardening isn’t simply standing there watering flowers, but weeding, digging, hoeing, raking and planting. It involves many of the elements of a fitness routine, like stretching, pulling, pushing and lifting. And it’s such an enjoyable hobby, you might not even realise how active you’re being.

Everyone can try gardening, no matter what age or level of fitness. It’s great for spending time with the kids or simply to take up as a hobby and build yourself some lovely surroundings.

 

There are many benefits to taking up gardening both for your general health and wellbeing, your mood and to improve your fitness, among many others:

  • Helps to keep you relaxed
  • Boost feel good hormones
  • Helps improve balance, flexibility and all round fitness
  • Improve your mood
  • Reduce stress
  • Improve balance and general mobility
  • Increase muscle strength in the legs.
  • Helps improve mobility in those with arthritis
  • Low impact exercise that doesn’t put pressure on bones and joints
  • Improve heart and lung function
  • Manage weight
  • Tone muscles
  • Increase stamina and energy
  • Reduce tension, anxiety and depression
  • Sleep better
  • Reduce the risk of heart disease
  • Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
  • Reduce the risk of stroke

If you have a garden you can keep the cost fairly low.

If you have a garden you can do this activity at home.