Have you thought about how great it would be to include your family in your pursuit to exercise more regularly? Family exercise will improve the health of your loved ones, make exercise more fun, and at the same time develop stronger connections between all of you. With a little creativity, you can find a way to make it work for everyone.
How to Start
First, decide what level of participation your family is ready for. If your entire family is committed 100%, you could go as far as setting up a Family Olympics. If it's a struggle to get your family to do anything together, starting out small might be the better option.
You may simply focus on educating each them about the benefits of exercise—in a smart way.
Bombarding them with stats each morning as they come down to breakfast might not be the best option. Put up a healthy living bulletin board in your kitchen (or use the fridge door) with articles and other resources that will help get your point across without having to say much of anything. For example, if one child is an athlete, an article about a successful athlete who commits to fitness could go a long way. Or, post a story about a young person who had trouble focusing at school but started exercising and saw an amazing difference.
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"I found this article kind of foolish! I think the best way, to get your child interested in fitness, is to get them started early! My husband and I are YMCA members and I know this is going to be key for our baby! At 6 months she will be starting swim classes, our Y has a wonderful swim program. We also have stroller fitness classes available to us, plus, mommy and me exercise classes. Then when Ruth Anne is about two she can do a tumble bugs class and or toddler dance class. All of these thing..." -- JCSBAYBEE
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"Since my daughter came around I've started using the Chariot, first for xcountry skiing in winter, and now for biking around town. I see so many little toddlers already on bikes and skis, and I'm sure it's because they've been exposed to it from such a young age, its just a natural progression to a healthy lifestyle. It's a bit of an expensive investment, (the chariot) but definitely worth it. You can find used gear on Craigslist, and you don't need a fancy bike. Mine is a $40 thrift store bike,..." -- PUPPYMOM
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"GREAT ARTICLE!!!
I go to Stroller Strides too and my kids and I I LOVE IT! It is the only fitness program that helped me lose all my baby weight. If you have a Stroller Strides near you, you must check it out. It is amazing, it has saved my sanity. the website is www.strollerstrides.com. Have fun working out with your fam." -- CHUCKSMOM
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Joe Downie
Joe is a certified physical fitness instructor, personal trainer, and high school soccer coach. |
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