Gardening calorie burn by intensity
Estimates use the formula kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours, with MET values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures are gross burn — they include the calories you would have burned at rest.
| Intensity | MET | kcal / 30 min* | kcal / 60 min* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light gardening / weeding | 3.8 | 133 | 266 |
| Digging and shovelling | 5.0 | 175 | 350 |
| Heavy yard work | 6.0 | 210 | 420 |
*For a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Use the calculator above for your own weight.
Burn by body weight
At a typical intensity for gardening (5.0 METs), here's how the burn scales with body weight:
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 69 | 138 | 275 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 88 | 175 | 350 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 106 | 212 | 425 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 125 | 250 | 500 |
Getting more from gardening
- Digging, shovelling and wheelbarrow work are the heavy hitters; standing watering barely registers.
- Alternate tasks to spread load across muscle groups and stay out longer.
- Two hours of mixed garden work commonly totals 500–700 kcal — log it like the workout it is.
Want the bigger picture? Your workout is one slice of total daily burn — estimate the whole thing with the TDEE calculator, or compare against 25+ other activities in the calories burned calculator.
More activities
- 🚶 Walking
- 🏃 Running
- 🐢 Jogging
- 🚴 Cycling
- 🏊 Swimming
- 🏋️ Weightlifting
- 🪢 Jumping Rope
- 🥾 Hiking
- 🧘 Yoga
- 🤸 Pilates
- 🚣 Rowing
- ⚙️ Elliptical
- 🪜 Stair Climbing
- 💃 Dancing
- 🏀 Basketball
- ⚽ Soccer (Football)
- 🎾 Tennis
- ⛳ Golf
- 🔥 HIIT Workouts
- 🥊 Boxing
- 🛶 Kayaking
- 🧹 Housework & Cleaning
- 🧍 Standing
- 😴 Sleeping
- 🏸 Badminton
Sources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. [link]
Frequently asked questions
Does gardening count as exercise?
Yes — public-health guidelines explicitly count moderate gardening toward weekly activity targets. The squat-lift-carry pattern is functional training in disguise.
How many calories does an hour of gardening burn?
Roughly 270 kcal for a 70 kg person doing general gardening, and 350+ when digging or doing heavy landscaping.