Planting flowers, grass, and trees in the garden is not only a way to relax and beautify the environment, but it can also burn calories like regular exercise, contributing to overall health. This hobby has truly proven to be multifaceted.
According to a report from the UK’s Daily Mirror, doctors have noted that engaging in gardening activities can indeed help reduce calories in the body, but is it considered a form of exercise? Physical therapist Kieran Sheridan indicated that whether gardening qualifies as exercise depends on the type of gardening activities involved.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States stated that engaging in 45 minutes of gardening can burn approximately 300 calories.
Sheridan explained that gardening involves the use of many muscles as it entails physically demanding activities such as planting trees, watering, digging, and lifting bags of fertilizer.
Similar to walking, gardening engages different muscle groups in the body including the arms, buttocks, abdomen, back, and legs. Digging the soil may burn the most calories as the motion of putting down the shovel engages all these muscle groups simultaneously.
Prior to engaging in gardening tasks, it is recommended to stretch the body to build strength and prevent cramps and muscle strain. Like any form of exercise, these gardening activities can effectively burn calories.
Sheridan advised, “I recommend mixing things up when gardening. You cannot focus on only one task as it may strain your muscles. For instance, solely planting trees and lifting root bags can be strenuous and lead to injuries or body pain. I suggest incorporating other tasks like weeding and raking the soil.”
Family physician Alexis Missick told the Daily Mirror that activities like soil digging in gardening are beneficial ways to work as they help build strength. Research has indicated that engaging in gardening daily, similar to brisk walking, can reduce the risk of dementia.
Missick further stated, “Participating in gardening activities that get you moving can promote cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.”
In addition to improving physical health, engaging in gardening also benefits mental well-being. Gardening requires learning various skills which naturally involves interacting and sharing experiences with others, inadvertently establishing a social lifestyle and decreasing feelings of loneliness.
The concept of “horticulture therapy” involves individuals gaining positive benefits on psychological, physiological, social, and economic levels through participating in gardening activities. For instance, gardening can help patients, especially those with mental health conditions, forget their worries, induce fatigue for better sleep, and boost energy levels upon waking up.
Furthermore, growing vegetables and fruits allows individuals to eat more confidently and healthily. Therefore, engaging in gardening activities truly proves to be a worthwhile endeavor.