Fitness is an integral part of every family’s life – at least it should be. The key to a healthy and well-toned body is the incorporation of daily exercise. Many people scoff at the idea of exercise, but there is no need to dread the thought because some of the things we do as a part of our everyday lives – things we love – are high on the list of good exercise. The activities that you do every day and enjoy like swimming, dancing, bowling, walking, volleyball, racquetball, and more are often not thought of as exercising, but in the true scheme of life, they are all exercises, they just happen to be FUN exercises. Better than that, they are exercises that a family can incorporate into its family fitness program as a way to stay fit as a family.
There are different activities that a family can do together, and exercise is no exception. Not only is it good family fun, but it also teaches everyone the importance of being healthy and teaches your children the regimented schedule of becoming part of an exercise program at a very early age. Of course, it will be necessary to adjust the fitness program based on the age and physical condition of the participants, but there is at least one activity in which every family member can participate.
How do you teach everyone to enjoy exercise? It doesn’t have to be sit-ups or jumping jacks; it can be “fun” things like bicycling, aerobic dancing, racquetball, swimming, or tennis. The important thing is to get your family involved in something that will teach them the importance of exercise, and do it together as a family. Make exercise part of the important health issue you teach your children, and instead of telling them, show them. By starting this at an early age, your children will know the importance of exercise and staying healthy, therefore preventing them from having a weight problem as they grow older.
The best way to start this regimen is before you even have any children. As a husband and wife begin their family, before children, make it a routine to exercise together as a couple whether it is a nightly walk around the block, a swim, or two or three evenings a week at the local health club. Just do something, and make it a routine that will continue even after the children arrive. Since it’s a proven fact that even unborn children detect what is going on, do not stop during pregnancy, but just adjust your routine to compensate. Everyone in the family should be encouraged to participate, no matter what the age. Even very young children enjoy being held by their parents to walk, dance, or ride a bicycle, and this will carry forward to a period when they are able to participate on their own. The early years are the conditioning years, and the ones where they will have their life’s activities etched within them. If you want healthy adult children, you must encourage them when they are small. Likewise, if you want to be a healthy senior citizen, you must start as a young person working toward that goal. Start early, and it will follow you throughout your life.