Get Fit In The Garden 3850

Get Fit In The Garden

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Welcome to day 7 of the Back to Basics challenge, powered by support from Humana.

Gardening works out more than your green thumb! The American Heart Association considers gardening to be moderate exercise. Plus, a recent study suggests that people who garden may have a stronger body image. They also have more appreciation for what their body can do than those who don’t do yard work.  

In addition to all of the squatting you do when planting, other forms of yard work burn calories and tone muscles as well, including:
  • Raking leaves
  • Hauling and spreading mulch
  • Turning soil
  • Mowing the lawn
Keep these tips in mind while you garden to make your workout as safe and effective as possible:
  • Switch sides: You may be more comfortable shoveling with your right arm, but remember to use your left as well to work both sides of your body.
  • Use large muscle groups: Engaging your quads, core, and buttocks will take the load off of small muscle groups like your arms and lower back. This technique will help you burn more calories and feel less sore afterward.
  • Treat it like a workout: Just like you would with a walk or jog, time how long you exercise in the yard and group activities into sets. For instance, do a “set” of pruning the bushes for 15 minutes to work your arms and core. Rest. Then, move to a new activity like squatting and stretching as you plant seeds.

Tell us how you're doing in the challenge here or reply to us on Twitter, in our private Facebook group or Instagram. Remember to tag us with #healthynurse!

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Missed day 6? Catch up here.

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Blog Challenge Tips 10/20/2020 10:38am CDT

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