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Gardening Is Good Exercise
Do you prefer digging in the dirt to sweating
on a treadmill? Well, here’s some good
news. These gardening tasks use the same
amount of energy as walking at a moderate pace:
- Raking and bagging leaves
- Digging or hoeing
- Weeding while standing and bending
- Trimming and hauling branches from shrubs or trees
- Mowing the lawn with a power mower
So, why not consider getting out your gardening tools
and getting a workout?
Experts recommend exercising moderately for 30 minutes on most days of the week. If you prefer
more vigorous exercise, you can meet your exercise
quota by performing heavy-duty gardening tasks for
20 minutes or more at least three times a week.
Gardening activities that count as vigorous
activities include the following:
- Carrying heavy loads, such as sacks of compost
- Climbing and trimming trees
- Mowing the lawn with a push mower
To avoid aches and pains from gardening,
warm up by walking for a few minutes. Then, after
gardening, take another short walk to cool down.
Finish by stretching the muscles you used.
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