Lose 5 Pounds Instantly!

Like all instant gratitude claims, here's my disclaimer -- results may vary, but I am telling you -- give it a try!

I don't understand people who diet in the summer, or go to the gym.  Get yourself a garden and work it!

Did you know you can burn 272 calories per hour while gardening?  That's equivalent to about 1 Snicker's bar or a Grande Starbucks Caffe Latte.  It takes about 4 hours to do most garden jobs worth doing, so that's 1,088 calories.

And think of all the other benefits you get -- using muscles you rarely get to use other times, in conjunction with one another.  Sure, you end up sore the next day, but that fades quickly.  Take two tylenol when you're wrapping things up.  It also works your joints.  A physical therapist once told me -- use them or lose them.  So true.

There's a lot of stretching and bending involved.  And there's a lot of intricate work for your hands as you carefully strangle a weed and pull it out.

If you live on a slope like I do, then you would probably be doing some tightrope style walking across your back hill.  It builds ankle muscles, increases your balance, and gives you a healthy fear of slipping and rolling to the bottom of the hill, so you quickly develop the first two mentioned attributes.

If you don't have garden space of your own, borrow someone else's.  I know I could personally use some assistance (mulching, anyone?).  Most everyone loves help in the garden.  And I'm not just talking about private gardens.  There are lots of community gardens that could use volunteers.  In addition to losing weight, you can feel good about your contributions.  Sounds like a great deal to me.