LJWorld.com

Summer is a perfect time to work outside and get rid of the flab around your waistline while beautifying your garden.

According to doityourself.com, everyday gardening chores can burn between 101 and 243 calories per half hour depending on the intensity of the task. Look at gardening as a transplanted gym under a canopy of blue skies and trees. Raking is a lot like using the rowing machine; walking behind a push mower is similar to being on the treadmill; and turning a pile of compost uses many of the same muscles as lifting free weights.

As with any form of exercise, gardening needs to be done for at least 30 minutes to have a significant benefit, although you may break up the 30 minutes into 10-minute intervals -- 10 minutes weeding, 10 minutes trimming and 10 minutes digging. Gardening lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It helps prevent diabetes and heart disease. Gardening also assists in preventing or slowing osteoporosis.

"Gardening is the No. 1 outdoor activity in the U.S for adults as reported by many pollsters," said Richard Mattson, professor of horticulture at Kansas State University. "For elderly people, gardening is No. 2; walking is No. 1 with this group.

"Gardening exercises stimulate all the major muscle groups, including biceps, triceps, deltoids, pectorals, abdomen, quadriceps, etc. Thirty minutes is a good starting point. Weight loss is dependent on the intensity of the exercise, length of time, etc. In general, gardening for 30 minutes would be equivalent to walking for 30 minutes."

Kansas State Research and Extension News suggests the following precautions:

• Stretch at the beginning of each gardening session. It is important to recognize your tolerance levels.
• Avoid overheating. Consume plenty of water or juice and always wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses.


Master gardeners Carol Roberts, left, and Chris Durflinger share a laugh while pruning black-eyed Susans at the Douglas County Extension Office garden. Research shows gardening is relaxing and helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

• Learn how to lift properly by using your legs and buttocks muscles rather than your back muscles.
• Try to find tools that fit your body.
• Learn to recognize and avoid poisonous plants and stinging insects.
• Do not touch live or dead wildlife; instead use a shovel. l Wash thoroughly after returning indoors.

Time in the garden is excellent for the psyche. It is a diversion from work, family turmoil and provides stress relief and mental relaxation.

Maintaining a healthy garden satisfies the instinct to nurture and, in turn, gardeners are generally rewarded with an array of abundant fruits, a healthy harvest, large colorful blooms and an overall appealing outdoor space.

"The real benefit of gardening is stress reduction," Mattson said. "Chopping weeds is an excellent way to exercise and to release pent-up anger and frustration by sublimating aggressive tendencies."

While the summer days are still long and the yard is crying out for attention, get out there and burn some calories, build up those biceps, relieve some anxiety and reap the rewards. The effort should shine through in your mind, body and a flashy display of flora.

A bumble bee gathers pollen from an echinacea flower at the Douglas County Extension Office garden.