How Having Kids is the Best Workout Ever

Everyone always asks me how it is that I have four kids and I am so slim and healthy. I laugh and say that it must be the kids that made me that way!! I find some simple things to do with the kids on a daily basis that can help add to your fitness routine, or if you don't have a fitness routine, it can help you to form one.
Don't get me wrong, I don't rely on what I do with the kids as my fitness routine. I walk at least two miles a day, with the kids in the stroller. I also have a recumbent bike and an elliptical that I do at least a combined 30 minutes on every other day, if not more often. I also do ab work, lift small weights for arms and sometimes even add some yoga to the mix.

I make sure that each day, I do something with the kids that would be considered exercise, not only for my sake, but for theirs. My kids are 10, 4, 2, and 19 months. If it is raining or nasty outside, I will put on their favorite DVD, Laurie Berkner's "We Are...The Laurie Berkner Band" and we just chase after each other for over a half an hour. We play a kind of chasing game that raises the heart rate. You wouldn't even realize that you are exercising since you are having so much fun with your kids. Another thing that we do in the house is to plug in the eye toy, (playstation 2 game) and play that. You have to jump around and kick and punch in order to play that. They love that and you will have fun too. Now, with the Wii being so popular, that is the same type of game. We are hoping to buy a Wii this year so that we can enjoy more exercising games in the house once winter arrives.

We also do something in my house called a "dance party" a few times a week. I put on one of the music channels on my cable television and we just dance. The kids love it and they get a lot of energy out. We usually do this right before dinner. It is a good late afternoon workout. It makes for a great laugh as well, which is another healthy thing...happiness and laughter.

If the weather is nice outside, we will hit a playground. Instead of being one of the mothers that sits on the park bench just watching, get in there and play with the kids. It helps to keep your bond to your kids close and gets you involved. It also will give you a good workout. We sometimes will go to a playground that is at a little league field and before we leave the park, we will run around the baseball diamond a few times. That, for sure, will raise your heart rate a good deal. We also will ride bikes and scooters around the driveway for a while too. Getting involved with your kids is the key to this. Kids have a lot of natural energy. Just trying to keep up with them is quite the workout.

The other way that you can get a little workout in is by doing some housework. I always recruit my kids to help out with that. This also serves another purpose as well. It teaches the kids about responsibility and helping out. Having four kids, you need to have them helping out and wanting to help each other. Another good lesson within that as well. I get the younger kids to help me with the vacuuming and with putting the toys away. My two year old and four year old just love dusting and cleaning the table too. Free help with the housework, what better?

When we go to our friend's house for the day, we always manage to find time to jump on their trampoline. Notice that I said "we". Yes, I get in there too and we jump around and have fun for a good amount of time. That is one heck of a workout. Swimming is also another good outside, summer type of workout. It is fun and the kids just love to do it so it isn't like your typical work out.

If you just use your imagination a little, you will see that there are a lot of exercising that you can do with your kids that won't fee like a typical workout. It certainly gets the job done and you get to spend a little time bonding with your kids. No need for a gym membership either. Just buy some small weights and a stretchy band and you have a good weight and resistance program to do as well when the kids are asleep. My two year old always fights me for the hand weights. He loves to lift already!!

The other big benefit to all of this is that you are helping to create health conscious kids that love to workout. It is a known fact that childhood obesity is on the rise and causes big problems such as diabetes and metabolic disorders later in life. Getting kids to be interested in exercising or playing sports early in life is the way to help combat childhood obesity. We also eat very healthy in my house. We eat a lower glycemic index diet, along with many natural and organic choices. We do not eat a lot of junk food or foods with additives or preservatives in them. Fast food is a once a month treat, as is ordering in a pizza. Diet and fitness go together, hand in hand. These few things can amount to a lifelong love of health and fitness. If you ask my kids if they would rather watch television or dance around the house, the answer would be to get moving. Teaching children as early as two years old how to make the right choices of foods as well as activities is a great place to start. It makes for a happy, healthy family as well.