Well, hello there, spring! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, and the South is in full bloom. My gardening obsession is in full swing, which means I can say goodbye to a $20 water bill, my manicure, and that winter insulation I’ve been carrying around on my thighs.
Serious gardening not only adds beauty and value to your home, it provides your family with healthy fruits and veggies and burns major calories — a one-two punch for weight loss. And I’m not talking about planting a six-pack of petunias or sitting on the riding lawnmower for an hour, beer in hand.
Anyone who has ever raked leaves, tilled soil, hoed or weeded knows what an amazing workout gardening is. Think of it this way: Have you ever seen an out-of-shape Smith’s Landscaping employee? I haven’t. Because they don’t exist. All of that dirt shoveling, compost-turning, lifting, bending and squatting have the potential to tone your entire body if done on a regular basis.
Is there anything better than a hobby that cultivates pride in ownership, produces nutritious edibles, torches calories and relieves stress? I think not. I attribute at least 15 pounds of my weight loss to hardscaping and re-landscaping the front of our house last spring.
Be safe out there
While there’s nothing wrong with a little good, old fashion hard labor, I have a few tricks that make my gardening boot camp more enjoyable. First and foremost, drink plenty of water. Working hard and sweating profusely in the hot sun can quickly lead to dehydration. I love my Bubba Keg; it holds a half gallon so that I’m not constantly refilling with dirty hands. Also, it’s insulated and will keep ice water nice and cold for a few hours, even in the sun. If I’m going to be out in the yard all afternoon, I’ll alternate water with Gatorade to replace electrolytes lost during heavy perspiration.
I adore the sun and a summer tan. Sunburn and skin cancer, not so much. Protect your skin from sun damage and wrinkles with a broad spectrum sunscreen and a big floppy hat. Even if you use a high SPF, you’ll still get a healthy glow. Thank goodness, as I sincerely believe that tan fat is far more attractive than pasty, white fat. And I wouldn’t want to blind anyone.
Protect your hands from blisters with a good pair of medium-weight gloves. If your hands are completely raw from raking or hoeing, chances are you won’t be heading out for more torture anytime soon. I prefer a breathable fabric with a bit of stretch and a Velcro wrist strap. If I’m feeling particularly girly, I’ll stick a cotton ball in each fingertip to protect my nails.
Bug off
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you the most amazing invention ever — the Thermacell. This little contraption repels my most loathed garden adversary, the mosquito, without having to soak myself with stinky, sticky, stinging bug spray.
It works off of a small butane cartridge and a repellant-saturated pad to repel mosquitoes, gnats, no-see-ums, flies, and other biting insects in a 15-by-15-inch bug-free bubble. Thermacell starter kits and refills can be found in the camping section of Walmart or most sports and outdoor store. Go get one; it will change your life.
As it starts to heat up outdoors, remember that it takes a few gardening sessions to get acclimated to the heat and humidity. If you start to get too hot or light-headed, get yourself back into the AC or, at the very least, the shade. Otherwise, enjoy the magic of planting a seed and watching it grow.
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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