It’s taken me almost half my life to discover a fabulous gym outside my door. Turning compost is essentially lifting weights. Raking is like using a rowing machine. Pushing the mower is similar to walking on a treadmill. Our exercise machines are post-hole diggers, shovels, rakes, push mowers, and wheelbarrows. Our running track is the yard and garden.
The health benefits of gardening are impressive. Gardening uses all the major muscle groups–the muscles that do most of the calorie burning–in the human body. Your legs, buttocks, shoulders, stomach, arms, neck, and back all get a workout. Gardening also increases flexibility and strengthens joints.
Gardening is also good for the soul. I often lose myself in the garden contemplating all of my issues and concerns, having conversations with the butterflies and lizards, playing hide and seek with the cat as I work the soil. The earth gives back to us as well when we treat her lovingly and with care. And what beautiful color and graceful movement I get back in return from the plants!
I find that if I do activities I enjoy that move my body I can get in my exercise without even knowing I did. Things as simple as walking the dog gets me physical. Cleaning the house and dancing to the radio or your iPod is totally free exercise.
Motivation is probably the one thing that challenges me on a regular basis. The thought "I have to exercise" is NOT a motivator for me. But thoughts like, "I think I will explore that new park with the dog this morning." makes the activity much more enjoyable.
I look for activities where I can loose myself doing them so I don’t think of them as exercise. It’s a mind game – but one where I usually win!
Now get out and get physical!
Doreen, aka The Garden Goddess
So true that having a motivation other than "I have to exercise" usually is so much more appealing. Great article!