Families who exercise together stay healthy together. The more time that you devote to staying active with your kids, the faster that you’ll all start to develop more respect for each other, strengthen family bonds and create positive habits for the future.
We all know that there are countless benefits to living an active lifestyle, from better sleep to improved moods, reduced risk of obesity and even stronger immunity. However, the benefits of getting fit as a family are even greater. Not only does working out with the kids help cement parents as positive role models for their youngsters, but it can also keep everyone motivated to achieve their health and fitness goals.
Your child encouraging you to get up and play when you’d rather stay in bed could mean that you need to finally get a hold on the wellness that you’ve been searching for. So, how can you make fitness a priority for the whole household?
Implementing family-friendly fitness
For some parents, the idea of introducing regular workout routines and fitness sessions into a child’s already-packed schedule can be daunting. After all, it’s hard enough to get your kids to eat their vegetables and spend more than five minutes away from a computer.
However, by explaining the value of fitness to your youngsters and making the activities that you do each day a little more exciting, you can turn exercise into a fun activity that everyone looks forward to. For instance, you could take turns picking what you do each day or create a spinning wheel of potential exercises.
Not sure which exercises are right for you? Here are three great ideas to get you started.
- Walking or jogging
Walking or jogging might sound boring, but these exercises are a fantastic way to get your family back into fitness if you’ve spent a little too much time on the sofa recently. Walking can be encouraged with the help of your four-legged friend. Go out on a family trip to walk the dog around the park and set aside some time for playing too. Or, ask your kids to join you on a quick race down the street.
- Cycling
There’s a reason why cycling is so popular among children of all ages. It’s fun, easy and great to do as a group. Make sure that you encourage more activity wherever you go by asking your child to cycle with you to the store instead of taking the car. You could also think about planning a bicycle route to school instead of relying on the bus.
- Family yoga
Have the members of your family been suffering from a little too much stress lately? The answer could be a simple yoga session. Push your sofas and chairs out of the way and open up the floor in the living room so that everyone can practice a few simple yoga poses. Not only will you relax, but you’ll also get some laughs in while people struggle to balance their way through downward-facing dog.
Making exercise work for your family
Part of making sure that everyone in your family feels motivated to keep on top of their fitness is looking for ways to make exercise more fun. Of course, there’s more to a long-lasting workout routine than fun and games – having the right equipment can be helpful too. For instance, if your daughters want to join you in a yoga session, then make sure that they’re equipped with the perfect pair of girls bottoms for athletic girls and maybe a few yoga mats!
The more that your family feels prepared for fitness, the more likely they are to tackle the tasks ahead of them feeling confident, determined and ready to sweat away any extra energy.
Family fitness is great for everyone
The truth is that family fitness is fantastic for everyone, regardless of age, gender or background. By working out as a family, you can ensure that each one of you has someone else to hold you accountable for your actions and keep you motivated toward success.
What’s more, since parents are the primary role models for their children, getting everyone involved into a regular fitness routine can help you make certain to build positive and healthy habits in your youngsters that they’ll continue to carry with them for their rest of their lives, from the extracurricular activities that they enroll in at school to the time that they spend at the gym as adults.
