Family fitness

By Natasha Lee

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Keep exercise fun and motivational by including your family! Fitness is for everyone so why not make it a family affair?

The plan
After my son was born in October 2000, I knew I needed to get myself back in shape - New Year's Resolution: lose 20 pounds. Not an easy task when taking care of a newborn, but I incorporated my exercise in our daily activities to achieve that very goal.

Because my old regimen included frequenting the gym and an occasional exercise video at home, I needed to change things to accommodate my baby, whether he was a part of the routine itself, or nearby for a game of peek-a-boo.

The new plan comprised of a daily walk around the neighborhood, usually in the morning after he woke up to get us energized for the upcoming day. If weather didn't permit walking, I would get down on the floor with an exercise video utilizing my son as weights for scrunches, or arm and leg work. This allowed for a fun experience with occasional raspberries on his belly.

While I created a routine based on activities that I previously enjoyed participating in, there are several programs already established both at local gyms and on video that incorporate children into exercise routines.

As the weather started to change and my son became more active, we continued walking following a relaxing swim. Adding a new activity every now and then also kept me motivated.

Resolution complete
As I hopped onto the scale one day to find that I had achieved my goal, a moment of sadness hit me. I didn't want our activity filled routine that brought us so much enjoyment to end, so we continued.

Now with a more active child in tow, our activities needed a makeover once again. To keep active we walk to the playground a couple times a week. Actually, we usually end up running once the word "playground" is mentioned, which gives us an even better workout.

We have joined playgroups that meet outdoors, either at the park or pool, depending on weather, joined a music class which keeps us hopping to music indoors and fit other fun exercise into our day walking malls, playing catch and tickling each other on the floor until we must stop for lack of breath.

"We dance a lot in our house. We just like to prance around the kitchen and the halls," says Alicia Slansky, a Rockledge, Florida mother of one. "We may look silly, but we have fun, it gets our blood pumping and it feels good."

Once children enter into a daycare or preschool environment, much of their day is spent sedentary, which can increase the risk of an inactive lifestyle. Much office time for adults is also spent sedentary in front of a computer, in meetings and taking phone calls. It is much too easy to fall into a schedule of sedentary activities after a busy day, watching television or playing video games, when a whole world awaits us outside. Often we can be the motivator for our children, suggesting activities to get them up and moving. As a family, we can make fitness fun and keep ourselves in shape.

Safety
No matter what activity you choose, play it safe. Always have plenty of fluids available for yourself and loved ones. If you will be outdoors it is best to apply a sunscreen before walking out the door. If you do tempt the gym with little ones make sure they have something available for them to occupy themselves, otherwise they could get their fingers pinched in machinery or take a tumble. Most of all, have fun.