Craftsman 16 in. Cut Path Reel Mower, Hand Push
I read an amazing statistic recently: the energy in a single barrel of crude oil is equivalent to 11 years of a human's manual labor!
Since using a power lawn mower uses a fair bit of gas, this suggested to me a great way to burn more calories without having to take any more time out of my busy schedule to work out.
So start with one of these...
Craftsman 16 in. Cut Path Reel Mower, Hand Push
...& get to work. This mower model is a great choice because it's relatively small & light weight. And even if their stuff isn't the absolute best quality out there, it's pretty darned good. Sears also has an excellent replacement policy if you do break something.
The thing is, far from being a miserable exercise in self-deprivation, I found I really like using a simple push mower. No harsh, motor sounds, just a contemplative swishing as the blades swing around. No stressful damage to the machine or yard when the over-powered blades strike a rock or sprinkler head. No spilled gas, oil or grease. No expensive & time-consuming repairs to a complex internal combustion engine, just a little satisfying routine maintenance occasionally.
And no nasty stink of exhaust, just the sweet fragrance of cut grass & the mint I sometimes swerve wide to clip.