Get in shape, lose the fat and get gardening

Working a hard day in the garden is more beneficial to our bodies than we care to realise. We regain balance, physically and mentally, when we work in our gardens.

We have so much to learn from our gardens and we never get bored, we ponder this and try that. Working the soil tunes us into nature's comforting rhythms, the ebb and flow of the seasons, the ripening and renewing of plants and soil. Every autumn we plot the resurrection of our gardens, and each spring we're wildly optimistic over the delights of the new season.

However, all this work can be hard on our bodies and I particularly struggle because my spine is bolted together by rods and screws and bending all the time isn't great! Us Campo Girls do Yoga to help keep us supple enabling us to stay in our gardens from dawn til dusk. Trust me there is nothing worse than a lower back cramp, spasm or twinge to get you out of the gardening flow (coming from the Queen of lower back pain!), or even worse an injury that prevents you from gardening at all!

The new book "Garden Your Way to Health and Fitness" is a manifesto for keeping gardeners injury-free, a road map to fitness through gardening. What a timesaving concept — work out as you garden rather than work out in order to garden.

Did you know that 1 hour of gardening burns 300 calories? Excellent news, I worked in the garden yesterday from 9am until 9pm, I cut down 2 massive conifer trees using an axe and a hacksaw! Then I cut down a fir tree, planted 10 news shrubs and then the usual cleaning etc, while swimming in between to keep myself cool.

Why am I not slim!!!!!!!!! LOL

Guinness writes that gardening not only engages our creative juices and helps us focus. Routine tasks like mowing, weeding and digging offer sufficient resistance to tone muscles as well as burn calories. Think of all the plants you can buy with the money you spent on that gym membership Wink

Here's is a basic routine: warm muscles up with a short, brisk walk, do a few lunges and step-ups using whatever you have at hand. For those with especially tight hamstrings or vulnerable lower backs, (remember we MUST stretch the hamstring to PROTECT the lower back).

Most useful may be the advice to pace yourself, drink plenty of water and know when to stop. A growing sense of discomfort in your lower back or a stiffening neck is a sign you need to take a break. When you're through for the day, put off that hot bath until you've stretched long and slow.

We should all be aware that we can hurt ourselves while gardening and we need to use Knee Pads, Sturdy Boots and protective gear as needed. When you are lugging around heavy pails or watering cans, you should carry one in each hand and distribute the weight.

I use Draper Knee Pads and find them comfortable, I also have some old large sofa cushions that I use to sit on while I am weeding, I wrote about the shoes I wear and they protect my feat and help keep me grounded.

Happy gardening and remember to LISTEN to your body!!!!