Whether you have an allotment, your own garden or you go to the neighborhood community garden, gardening is one of the best ways to get outside and enjoy some exercise.

Yard work can burn as many calories as moderate aerobic activity and it’s also good for your health. It increases heart health, strengthens joints and reduces stress.

workouts of a gym or the demands that running and other cardiovascular activities can put on one’s body. 

For many, yoga has become the exercise preference of choice to avoid such demands while still reaping health benefits. The practice has been around for more than 5,000 years, with the word “yoga” being derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” – meaning the unification of one’s body, mind and emotions.

“The benefits of yoga are far-reaching and have been shown to impact both physical health outcomes and mental health outcomes,” says Maren Nyer, PhD, the director of Yoga Studies at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

stress relief, increased flexibility, improved balance, connection to a health-minded community, higher levels of energy and boosted heart health. “Because yoga relaxes you, it can also result in better sleep, which means more energy and brighter moods,” adds Brett Larkin, a certified yoga instructor and founder of Uplifted Yoga. 

sleep, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and high blood pressure,” says Nyer.

Does yoga shape your body? 

The practice can also make a noticeable difference in one’s physical fitness and shape. For instance, yoga’s slow movements and deep breathing have been shown to increase blood flow to warm up and strengthen muscles. Various poses target one’s musculoskeletal system, further helping with tone and core strengthening. Holding yoga poses can also increase physical stamina and growth of targeted muscle groups. 

burn calories; though the number of which vary greatly depending on the type of yoga one is doing, the intensity of the workout and the gender of the participant. For example, one study found that men burned an average of 460 calories and women 330 calories when engaged in the same session of Bikram yoga – also known as “hot yoga.” 

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Source: usatoday.com