Fab, Fit Fam!
Although it can be great to workout alone, it can be wonderful to find ways to be active with your whole family. So much of our lives are glued to screens and stuck indoors (especially since 2020), which can be detrimental to family health. “The American Heart Association recommends that healthy children, age 2 and older, participate in an hour of moderate to vigorous activity every day.”[1] Of course, one of the best ways to encourage kids to do a certain behavior is to model it for them, so to encourage your kids to be active, here are a few ideas to try with your family.
• Explore your neighborhood. Take a daily family walk together and leave all the electronics at home! You could even make it more adventurous by adding a game like “I Spy” or a scavenger hunt.
• Create regular family fun time. Pick activities that will get you moving, like mini golf, batting cages, or bowling. Another alternative is to just start a game of tag in the backyard. Even if your kids are older, there is something fun and nostalgic about revisiting a childhood classic.
• Encourage active playtime with active toys. Jump ropes, balls, and kites are all simple toys that can encourage a lot of movement instead of being sedentary on the couch.
• Delegate outside chores to your kids. If they are old enough, consider having your kids help out with some of the outside chores like raking leaves or shoveling snow.
• Incorporate more activity into your daily transportation. If you are fortunate to live close enough to the businesses you frequent, consider replacing a car ride with walking, bicycling, or rollerblading.
Incorporating daily fitness with your family does not have to be a chore (well, except for raking leaves or shoveling snow); it can be a fun way to not only improve your family’s overall health, but to bond as well. Your kids are only home with you for a limited amount of time, so make the most of it and share experiences as well as teaching them healthy habits they will carry into adulthood.
What are your favorite ways to exercise with your family? Tag us on social media @therealbodepro and show us how your family stays fit and fabulous!
[1] “Ideas to Get Your Family Active.” How Cigarettes Damage Your Body, 5 Apr. 2017, www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/GettingActive/Ideas-to-Get-Your-Family-Active_UCM_462368_Article.jsp.