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Get Growing
40 Still looking for a reason to get growing? Easy Does It
Chances are, farm fashion isn’t going to You can burn up to 300 calories an
convince you. And mucking around in the hour in the garden, about the same as
garden isn’t pretty. You’ll get filthy. You’ll with very brisk walking. Follow these
tips to have a safe workout in the
sweat. People may smell you a mile away vegetable patch:
(and not because you’ve got basil in your • Whenever possible, bend at the
pocket). knees, not your waist, so you don’t
41 The flip side of all that hard labor is that strain your lower back.
you can get super fit. Studies show that • Build up your stamina slowly,
being active throughout the day can burn starting with a short session in the
garden and gradually increasing the
way more calories than just working out in
time. If you do too much too soon,
the gym. All that bending, lifting, and you could wind up with an injury or
carrying is great strength training. It firms become overly sore.
up the major muscle groups in your chest, • Always wear sunscreen to prevent
back, legs, and shoulders. Chores like burns and skin damage.
shoveling are cardiovascular exercise in • Stretch, stretch, and stretch some
disguise, working your lungs and heart. more to help prevent injuries.
42 Gardening is good for the mind and • Drink lots of water.
soul, too. The combination of exercise,
time in the sunshine, and fun mucking
around in the dirt can help boost your
mood and make you feel full of energy. Food for Thought
43 And guess what? Research shows Horticulture therapy uses plant-related
you’re more likely to eat fruits and activities to help people work through
vegetables you’ve grown yourself. So a whole bunch of physical and mental
health issues, from recovering from
you’ll also be getting better nutrition. surgery to reducing depression.
Those additional vitamins and minerals Working with plants is soothing and
in your diet will make your skin glow, improves motor skills and
your hair shine, and your nails stronger concentration. And because it requires
(if somewhat dirtier). problem-solving and goal-setting,
self-confidence can go up as well.
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