To lose weight, go green—seriously.Recent Korean research published in journals Hort Technologysome gardening tasks were found to qualify as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Researchers asked 15 university students to complete 10 gardening tasks in two separate sessions. On each occasion they performed five tasks for five minutes each, with a five-minute break between each task. Activities include digging, raking, weeding, mulching, hoeing, seeding, harvesting, watering, mixing growing media, and planting transplants. The researchers also asked participants to wear devices that tracked their heart rate, calories burned, and oxygen consumption.
When the researchers measured the results, they found that all tasks were considered moderate to vigorous physical activity for the volunteers. (One word: Yay!) Some activities were more intensive than others. Drilling was the most intensive job. Next came mowing, mulching, hoeing, seeding, harvesting, watering, and mixing the media. Planting the transplants was the least demanding task.
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Researchers note that there are extenuating circumstances that may explain why these results vary from person to person. Differences in the type of gardening tools, gardening methods, gardening conditions, and garden size can all affect the results. That said, the important point remains the same. The point is that gardening is actually a legitimate physical activity. sweet!
Not sure if you have a green thumb? No problem. Try going outside for just 20-30 minutes in the morning. Spending time outdoors may even help you lose weight.
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Annie Daly is a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and author specializing in wellness, travel, and culture.she is the author of destination wellness (2021), co-author of island wisdom (2022). A former editor of SELF, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed Travel, Yahoo Travel, and Good Housekeeping, she also writes for a variety of publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, InStyle, and AFAR. To follow her work, find her on IG @anniemdaly and subscribe to her Destination Wellness on Substack.
