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Battle-Of-The-Bulge, Budget Style: Gardening To Lose Weight, Part II!

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Hello again, savvy savers! Today I am starting another new blog series, Battle Of The Bulge, Budget-Style! I will be focusing on ways to live a healthier, more active lifestyle while be able to afford clean, organic, obtainable foods! I believe this series can be worthwhile for many, who like myself, wish to get more in shape, not through crash-dieting but by small attainable lifestyle changes!  All of the changes I propose will be free or affordable, and most meals and plans will contain couponed savings or deals! Fads are fancy, but coupons are a commitment! With that said, here is where I am currently: I have a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. I am looking to lose 60lbs., find affordable non-gym membership options for working out, and change the way I consume food; this includes meals, snacks, and splurges!

Today I am 31 years young, I am 5’6”, and weigh 198 lbs; I am down one pound since last week. I walk my dogs but beyond this am not terribly active. My lifestyle causes sedentary behaviors; I work-from-home, blog, run two internet businesses, and perform advocacy work online as well. I am an internet-based excuser! Today this changes! Spring has sprung, and so shall I! I have taken up yoga, and have started working out with a pedometer on as well!

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For my 8th post, I wanted to discuss a new measure I have implemented to help in my healthier lifestyle choice, gardening! Did you know that according to the American Heart Association, gardening 1 hour daily will burn up to 400 calories, and considering that the average weekend project tales 4-6 hours, and that maintaining your yard weekly, in warmer weather, will take nearly 1 hour a day, you would, on average burn upwards of 2,400 calories a week! An entire days worth of calories! This is a staggering number! For me, I make sure to water the plants, lawn, and mow as often as I can, as its no longer a chore for me, but an exercise! I love that performing tasks for  hobby can lead to better health!

How awesome is that? For a small, simpler routine,  here is my suggested, and used, gardening workout routine:

  • Pull weeds in 1 flower bed for 10 minutes
  • Rake mulch back into place in all beds, as needed, for 10 minutes
  • Fertilize roses, bushes, and low-lying shrubs for 10 minutes
  • Manually edge 30 feet of driveway, sidewalk, or straight-edged areas, 20 minutes
  • Water front flowers beds, 10 minutes

So, by my routine, all of which I can accomplish before 8 am, or after 6 pm, and will burn 400 calories! No gym membership or lawn service needed! This is an awesome way to put on a few podcasts, listen to a cd, or just have some time to yourself, and your yard, for nothing more than time! I also keep my Shih-Tzu, Sassy with me while gardening to lose weight; I have metal screw-into-the-yard hooks in various places in my yard, which I leash and harness Sassy to, and move her from area to area; so I can bond with my fuzzy-love, lose weight, and clean my yard at the same time!  This is one of my favorite ways to burn extra calories, while creating a more serene home for my family and myself!

Also, if you are looking for other ways to save money, lose weight, and maintain your yard, beds, and landscaping, be sure to check out my frugal garden tips, here! 

Here’s to the Journey!

Misty

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Weekly Gardening Update, 8/10!

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Happy Sunday, everyone! Here is this weeks gardening update!

This weeks Gardening Update revolved around my $1.00 rose bushes from Fred’s Super Dollar have thus far produced some of the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, as seen above. They are just so lovely, and I will be giving some today to my neighbors as a little community happy gift! I also love my free lattice, as it was recycled from discarded pallets, and works just as well as anything purchased at my local supercenter! I feed my roses a special homemade blend, which i will be blogging about in the weeks to come!

Here’s to next week!

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Gardening Update 8/3/14: Chrysanthemum Time!

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Hello again, savvy savers! this weekend is a very, very slow weekend in my garden. The humidity of late summer is in full force, and my husband and I are spending double duty on nightly watering sessions for out gardens, flower beds, and hanging garden areas; we have switched our attentions from perseverance to full on preservation, in hopes of salvaging as many perennial plants as possible going into the next season.

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However, one area of garden happiness for me this week is that my discounted chrysanthemums, purchased from Walmart last Autumn for $0.50 a plant, have doubled in size and are starting to bloom for the fall, and within the next month will be gorgeous; I planted the bed in rotating patterns of orange, yellow, and white to mimic candy corn! For those with mums planted in-ground, early August is the time to stop plucking blooms off of plants, start concentrated feedings, add new mulch, and let the growing season commence for your mums!

Here’s to gardening until next week!

 

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Garden Update: 7/20!

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Hello again, savvy savers! This week does not find much different in my gardens, except that the humidity and heat has all but killed the annuals I planted in my front window boxes, decimated my ferns, and despite diligent watering, it seems that those plants may be done for the season. Though this saddens me greatly, it does remind me that Autumn is right around the corner, and within a month I will be able to stop pulling the blooms off of my chrysanthemum plants, and plant additional groupings as well! Oh, how I love mums! 

Back to summer! What I can brag about this week is the continued progress of my rose plants, growing along my upcycled trellis! They are so beautiful, smell amazing, and within two years, I estimate that they will cover the center part of my home, between my den and nursery room windows, which will give such great character and curb appeal  to the outside of our home! Roses are one of the ways I cheer myself up during the week, just looking at them brings a smile to my face, even in the humidity of the deep south! So, that’s all this week from my garden! Stay tuned for next week, as I will be getting plans together for my Fall displays!

Here’s to next week!

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Weekly Gardening Update, 6/22!

Gardening-On-a-Budget-Homesteading-and-Health

Happy Sunday, everyone! Here is this weeks gardening update!

This weeks Gardening Update revolved around my $1.00 rose bushes from Fred’s Super Dollar have thus far produced some of the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, as seen above. They are just so lovely, and I will be giving some today to my neighbors as a little community happy gift! I also love my free lattice, as it was recycled from discarded pallets, and works just as well as anything purchased at my local supercenter! I feed my roses a special homemade blend, which i will be blogging about in the weeks to come!

Here’s to next week!

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Gardening Update, 6/8!

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Happy Sunday, everyone! Here is this weeks gardening update!

This week I was able to plant the other half of my herbs, including my lavender, thyme, basil, lemon grass, parsley, bay leaves, and mint. Also, the tomato sprouts are coming up and in a week, should be able to be thinned, and then planted outside! Even in the face of all the horrific storms this week, everything was thankfully spared, and growing right on schedule! As for the other areas of my year, we have had nearly constant rainfall, so tilling and further planting has been on standstill, for the next three posts, I should have plenty to share; I will be planting both my potted and upside varieties next weekend. Aside from rain, and the largest amount of pollen I have ever seen (we have composted four trash barrels full), out pots of Green beans are beautiful, as seen above!

Also, the squash plant, though small, is growing! In addition, my mum plants from last fall have doubled in size, and will have sucker that need to be plucked in the next few weeks! This week to come I will be planting my hill of strawberries, starting potato and sweet potato towers, as well as creating a summer butterfly flower bed!  As well, my $1.00 rose bushes from Fred’s Super Dollar have thus far produced some of the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, as seen above. They are just so lovely, and I will be giving some today to my wonderful Grandmother for Mother’s Day! I also love my free lattice, as it was recycled from discarded pallets, and works just as well as anything purchased at my local supercenter! I feed my roses a special homemade blend, which i will be blogging about in the weeks to come!

Here’s to next week!

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Gardening Update, 6/1!

Gardening-On-a-Budget-Homesteading-and-Health

Happy Sunday, everyone! Here is this weeks gardening update!

This week I was able to plant the other half of my herbs, including my lavender, thyme, basil, lemon grass, parsley, bay leaves, and mint. Also, the tomato sprouts are coming up and in a week, should be able to be thinned, and then planted outside! Even in the face of all the horrific storms this week, everything was thankfully spared, and growing right on schedule! As for the other areas of my year, we have had nearly constant rainfall, so tilling and further planting has been on standstill, for the next three posts, I should have plenty to share; I will be planting both my potted and upside varieties next weekend. Aside from rain, and the largest amount of pollen I have ever seen (we have composted four trash barrels full), out pots of Green beans are beautiful, as seen above!

Also, the squash plant, though small, is growing! In addition, my mum plants from last fall have doubled in size, and will have sucker that need to be plucked in the next few weeks! This week to come I will be planting my hill of strawberries, starting potato and sweet potato towers, as well as creating a summer butterfly flower bed!  As well, my $1.00 rose bushes from Fred’s Super Dollar have thus far produced some of the most beautiful roses I have ever grown, as seen above. They are just so lovely, and I will be giving some today to my wonderful Grandmother for Mother’s Day! I also love my free lattice, as it was recycled from discarded pallets, and works just as well as anything purchased at my local supercenter! I feed my roses a special homemade blend, which i will be blogging about in the weeks to come!

Here’s to next week!

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