Squeeze Some Active Family Time into Every Day!

We're all aware of the obesity problem amongst American children. It is a startling statistic, but nearly 13 percent of our children are overweight. An even more overwhelming number says that 60 percent of adults are overweight. These percentages are quite appalling, and as a nation we have tried to provide accurate information on healthy eating and exercise. By exercising with your children each day you are setting a routine for success. Exercise is necessary for a healthy lifestyle and to prevent obesity by controlling your weight. My family tries to exercise each night for at least 30 minutes to stay active and continue a great habit! I will list some great activities for your entire family to share together and begin the road to wellness!

My favorite family activity is walks. We try to go for a walk as a family every evening when we are home and the weather is nice enough. By walking as a family the kids get out for some fresh air and we adults get lots of exercise. We use a stroller for the majority of the walk, but the last stretch as we can see the house, the kids are allowed to get out and walk as well. This is their favorite part of the walk and is nurturing a spirit of exercise in them while they are still young.

Another favorite family activity is bike riding. The kids may not get too much exercise out of this activity yet, but as they age and can ride their own bikes, the habit will already be there, as well as the love for biking. Our best purchase has been a two-seat bike trailer that we use to place the kids in. We also have a rear bike seat that attaches to my bike so the kids can switch from the trailer to the bike seat. They love riding in both, and we love to go for bike rides together.

My kids also love to participate with me while doing my aerobic video. They love to practice the steps and try so hard to look like the ladies do. The stretching part is great for them as they learn coordination and rhythm during the aerobic section. This is a great way to exercise when the weather is not suitable to go outside.

A Pilates or Yoga video is also lots of fun to do as a family. Everyone can participate and gain flexibility and tone their muscles. Working your arms, legs and stomach muscles is very important, even for children.

Swimming is also a favorite family activity. Packing the suites and the towels always gets the kids excited and ready for a fun filled time at the pool. Just splashing around with the kids will burn lots of calories and give your body a workout. Try to tag team with a friend so that you can take turns swimming a few laps to get some extra cardio time.

Roller skating is another great form of exercise. As a child I loved going to the roller skating rink and making lap after lap around the loop. Many rinks have rental skates for young children and occasionally will even have a children's skating event. During these events they play lots of fun games and other skating activities to encourage family trips to the skating rink.

One last family activity that we just love to do is go to the park. Climbing the bars, sliding down the slide and running through the tunnels all provide adequate exercise for parent and child. Kids just love going to the park and we parent's love making our kids happy, so a trip to the park may become your favorite past time!

All these forms of exercise are not only great for your body, but great for your family. Spending time together will strengthen your bonds with your kids and encourage relationships to grow. There is no greater way to form a tightly-knit family than to spend quality time together, and exercising is a great way to get that quality time in!