Anna Maria RichardsWorking out alone can become boring and extremely lonely. That’s when you know working out with a companion really helps. If you’re looking for partners to accompany you during your workout, then what’s better than working out with your own family?
Studies prove that kids and adults, alike, need a minimum of 60 minutes of daily body exercise to maintain a fit and healthy life. Further, working out together as a family has innumerable benefits – so why not? It helps to keep the entire family disease-free, improves the overall health, and also helps to spend some quality family time with each other.
If you are looking for ways to introduce exercise as a family, here are a few simple and basic ideas to get you started.
1. Let every one do the house chores
Doing the house chores is the first step to being a healthy and active family. If you’re a guardian, divide different sectors of the house chores among your family members and make them accountable for it.
You can assign them different jobs around the house including, taking out the trash, cleaning the living room, setting up the dinner table, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, and so on.
If your kid(s) is/are too young to do these, you can at least encourage them to clean up their own play area and study tables. Moving forward, this will make them more able and self-dependent which will eventually help them later in life.
2. Indulge in family sports activities or walks
Twice a week, you can indulge in a family exercise time where you and every other member of the family can work out and exercise.
If you prefer competitions or some athletic fun, try playing a game or participating in a group run/walk with your family. You can pick any game that your fam-bam likes to play – a casual match of football or the classic lock-and-key.
You can even install activity setups in your backyard like trampolines. Just search for some trampolines online and buy the ones that are made for both – kids and adults, alike. This will encourage your family members to stay fit and healthy and will also be a fun way to bond as a family.
3. Adapt to simple lifestyle changes
The tiny-little changes in your daily lifestyle can all add up to bring a great change. This will allow you to become more active and healthy as a family with lots of physical and mental benefits.
Changes like using stairs instead of the elevator, walking to school or making the use of public transport instead of using a private car, indulging in frequent workouts and dance sessions with your family can make a drastic transformation in your daily life (positively, ofcourse!).
It will make you all less prone to chronic diseases like obesity, boost immunity and also help you build stamina.
4. Arrange adventure trips at least once a month
If you really are looking for fun ways to keep your family active and moving, then there’s no better way to do it than this.
Adventure trips like hiking and treks are so fun and exciting and guess what, they’re even better if you plan them with your family. You can splurge on it at least once a month and choose to go hiking or trekking on rocky terrains and nearby hill stations.
To make this activity even more interesting for the youngsters, make it seem like a treasure hunt where you all are on the quest for a secret treasure. This will keep your kids engaged and hyped throughout the hike. Don’t forget to reward your kids from time to time and make sure they are vested in the hike.
5. Limit the family screen time
Encourage your kids and other family members to spend as little time as possible in front of the TV or the computer.
Instead, ask them to take a walk in nature, exercise, play or indulge in any type of physical exercise. Too much screen time comes with various health hazards, including obesity and eye problems.
Over to you…
So, these were a few ideas that can make your family lead an active life. Make every activity you do super-fun, or your family member will lose interest mid-way, especially the youngsters. So, pick what’s best for your fam-bam and get into action!
