By Fit3 Head Coach Tina Van Horn
Fitness friends come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I met a new walking buddy, Lilly, recently at a local 5K and we had an interesting conversation. I learned that her favorite movie is the original The Wizard of Oz and how much she enjoys studying the Revolutionary War, how she plays golf and volleyball and loves the dance exercise class at the YMCA. Lilly, who happens to be a very mature 10-year-old, even has two pesky little sisters who were in a wagon being pulled by her mom behind us. By the time we crossed the finish line, I had told Lilly some entertaining secrets about my sister, her 2nd grade teacher, and she told me how her dad turns every question into a history lesson (insert the pre-adolescent eye roll). I helped her forget that she didn’t want to be walking in a 5K and she helped me forget that my feet hurt. It was a win for both of us!
If you have kids or grandkids, it can be difficult to squeeze in a workout. But if you include them, you have a built-in fitness friend! Just keep the moves simple and find ways to interject a little competitive fun. For example, challenge them to see who can do the most jumping jacks in 30 seconds. You can even break a sweat together with one of the Fit3 workouts.
Kids and teens should get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. I know it can be tough to tear them away from their electronic babysitters, but it can be done and you can still get in a good workout too.
Here are a few ideas to get the whole family moving:
- Turn household chores into a game
- Crank up the tunes for a dance party during commercials
- Walk or run for a charity special to your family
- Walk or run in a holiday 5K
- Do community service or volunteer work together
- Have a weekly sports night
- Make up a playground workout
- Use your kids as “weights” when you strength train
- Run relay races in the backyard while picking up sticks
- Compete to see who can rake the biggest pile of leaves
The possibilities are endless when it comes to helping your family stay active. Find out what works for your schedule and for your family’s lifestyle and you will end up having so much fun and making lifelong memories together!