Saiyami Kher’s latest workout with a sustainable twist is inspiring. (Source: File Photo)

While many of us are busy sweating it out with various fitness routines, here is actor showing us how the pandemic break is a good time to not just pause but also do something for the environment.

In the video, the avid fitness aficionado can be seen flexing her muscles to dig a compost pit, something that she has been wanting to do for sometime now. Take a look.

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Here’s what she had to say.

“Another way of using my quarantine time. Not only was this my very tedious workout for the day but always a long due plan to make a compost pit for our house in Nasik. We are very grateful to the Maharashtra government for still sending over people to pick up the garbage. But we need to do our bit in every way possible to help. Let’s stay in, stay safe and keep ourselves busy!” she said.

In case you have been wondering about how digging a compost pit is actually a good workout, here’s what to know.

Composting is considered essential for many reasons. For one, it helps in recycling kitchen scrap and is a natural manure for plants. Right in the backyard of your home, compost pits are a simple and free alternative when compared to purchasing or building a compost bin.

As per the American Heart Association, gardening qualifies as a moderate to high-intensity exercise that could help burn calories, track heart rate and help in oxygen consumption. Activities like digging, weeding mulching, hoeing among others are believed to help tremendously.

How does gardening qualify as an exercise?

Gardening tasks mostly work out the major muscles groups including legs, buttocks, shoulders, arms, back and abdomen. In fact, As per Iowa State University, digging holes burns 150 calories in women and 197 in men; planting burns 135 calories in women and 177 in men, while weeding burns 156 calories in women and 157 in men.

What are some of the other benefits?

Regular practice helps increase flexibility, strengthen joints, manage blood pressure, lower the risk of diabetes and slows osteoporosis.

Here’s how to make a compost pit in your home

*Locate a spot in your backyard that receives a lot of direct sunlight so that the compost pit’s temperature is above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not place the compost pit too close to the house, as it may emit an unpleasant smell as it decomposes.

*Dig a hole in the ground with a garden shovel, at least two to three feet deep and three feet wide. Layer the sides so that the pit doesn’t crumble.

*Start with organic materials, such as kitchen scraps, newspaper pieces, coffee grounds or fallen leaves. Then add a layer of fertiliser, such as cow or chicken manure. Add a layer of soil and repeat the layering process. Stop when your compost reaches one foot above the compost pit.

*Water the compost pit until the ingredients are soaked. A compost needs moisture content between 40 and 60 per cent to multiply the beneficial microbes that are within the pile, as per Iowa State University.

*Ensure the ingredients in the compost pit are turned once a week with a shovel to provide aeration. Add water to keep the pile moist.

*Once the compost has an earthy smell to it, it can be used as a manure.