Working in the Yard

Doing yard work is important for keeping your plants healthy and your property looking attractive, but did you know it also incorporates some of the best weight-bearing exercise on the planet? Digging, weeding, raking, laying sod, hauling branches and wheelbarrows around and other common gardening activities provide a great, varied workout on a par with weight training! In fact, you can burn as many calories in 45 minutes of yard work as you can with 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and it's better for your bone density. Weight training is better for bone density, but doesn't provide the varied workout and aerobic exercise that yard work does.

It strengthens bones better than dancing, walking, running or bicycling. It also gets you outdoors long enough to soak up sunshine's Vitamin D, which facilitates absorption of calcium. Since it burns calories as well as a vigorous workout at the health club, it can also help you achieve a healthy weight while you're building muscle. Doing yard work enhances your endurance, flexibility and strength, as well, and does it without monthly health club fees.

More people would rather work in the garden than work out in a gym, so they're more likely to be consistent with this type of exercise. It gives a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment to see how well your yard looks when you've finished.

Another often overlooked benefit of yard work is that it also helps to relieve stress. Particularly with repetitive tasks like weeding or raking, it provides time for problem solving or just daydreaming.