Make Fitness a Family Affair

Today childhood obesity is a major concern among parents and the medical community. This generation of kids is less physically active and more obese than any generation before.

Wouldn’t it be great if your kids naturally enjoyed exercise? If this were the case then childhood obesity wouldn’t be the looming problem that it is.As adults we exercise to improve health, stay fit, and control weight. But what motivates a child to be physically active? Fun! Ultimately, if children and adults enjoy an activity, they’re more likely to stick with it.

As you know, an

inactive child has a greater chance of becoming an inactive adult if healthy habits aren’t instilled early in life. And it’s never too early to start.

What better way to get your kids moving than to find a fun exercise activity your whole family can enjoy together? Your family will not only be healthier and trimmer, but will spend quality time connecting and set habits that may last a lifetime.

Just remember that exercising as a family won’t look like your typical workout. Here are some fun, creative ways to incorporate exercise into the life of your family. Plus, a nutritious chicken recipe the whole family will enjoy!

Make Chore Time Fun Time

Let’s face it: chores and kids don’t mix. Not willingly, at least. Chores and fun don’t usually mix, either. How can you combine chores with fitness while making it fun at the same time?

• Turn up your family‘s favorite tunes and sing and dance while cleaning the house. Let the kids take turns choosing the music.
• All ages can be involved. The youngest can pick up toys or sweep the floors. The older kids can vacuum, dust, and help with laundry.
• While you are at it, turn chores into a competition. Who can clean his or her room the fastest? (Without stuffing everything in the closet.)

Dance Party 

Want a little more wiggle in your family exercise routine? Invite the kids’ friends over for a dance party. Move the furniture out of the way, turn down the lights, and turn up the tunes! Then get moving.

Kids will have a great time with this. If you have a Wii dance game, take turns in dance competition.

Family Fitness Nights

Family fun night is often spent sitting around watching a movie or playing a board game. How can you turn family nights into fitness nights?

• Go on a bike ride together.
• Head to a nearby trail in the woods and go on a hike.
• Invite another family to join you and organize a soccer game, whiffleball tournament, or relay races.
• Set up a badminton net in the backyard.
• If there’s snow on the ground, get out the sleds and head to a nearby hill.
• What about roller-skating as a family? Now there’s a fun family workout!

Let each family member take turns choosing which activity to do on family nights, but keep the nights focused on fun fitness.

Track Progress

A great way to stay motivated as a family to keep exercising is to track individual progress. If one family member needs to lose weight and another is trying to bench press heavier weight, track both of their progress and encourage them along the way.

You can also have all family members wear a pedometer and reward the person with the most steps, or choose an exercise of the month. Good choices are squats, lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, or jump rope. At the beginning of the month, each family member must perform his or her maximum number of repetitions. After a month of training, the person with the highest percentage of improvement gets a small reward.

And keep progress at the forefront with a chart on your refrigerator to track your family’s fitness goals.

A Way of Life

When exercise fitness is incorporated into everyday life, it won’t become a drag or another thing to fit into your already busy schedule. Set aside just an hour two to three times a week to get moving as a family. Your kids will have fun and learn valuable life lessons.

If you don’t eat right, neither will your children.

As much as you’d like to see the kids enthusiastically eating a pile of green veggies, you’ll need to be the first one to dig in. The easiest way to model healthy eating habits and weight is to eat most of your meals at home.

When you eat out, the kid’s menus options are mainly fried and carbohydrate-filled, and most come with a sugary beverage. When you make your own meals at home center the meal around a lean protein, such as chicken or fish, and then add in lots of colorful veggies. Start with the recipe for Blackberry Chicken below.

This recipe makes a wonderfully healthy and nutritious family meal. Use organic berries and chicken to get the most from your meal nutritionally and flavor-wise. Serve your chicken on a bed of steamed veggies or on a dark leafy green salad. Serves 4.

Here’s what you need for the chicken:

• 1.5 pounds organic, skinless, boneless chicken tenders
• 1 cup organic blackberries
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup plum vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 cup yellow onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 packet Stevia

1. Rinse the
   canadian pharmacy

   chicken tenders and pat dry. Place in a large ziplock bag.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.
3. *optional* Strain the seeds from marinade (If you don’t mind the crunch, then leave the seeds in!)
4. Pour the marinade into the bag of chicken, seal and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the marinated chicken in a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, drain off excess marinade, then place under high broil for 4 minutes, watching closely. Remove when golden.

Here is what you need for the blackberry sauce:

• 1 TBL coconut oil
• 1 cup organic blackberries
• 1 packet Stevia
• 1 Tbl plum vinegar

1. In a skillet over medium low heat, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer, stirring often, until the blackberries become bright and the sauce reaches desired consistency.
3. If you wish to thicken the sauce more, add 1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot powder.
4. *optional* Strain the seeds from the sauce (If you don’t mind the crunch, then leave the seeds in!)
5. Serve over the cooked chicken.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 287 calories, 7g fat, 655mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 36g protein

Hire a Personal Trainer

Each person has different exercise needs and weight goals. Call or email Avtar

Nordine Zouareg, former Mr. Universe, to design a fitness workout program for each family member, including kids.

avtar[at]avtarwellness.com
520-360-9214
Avtar Wellness

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• Nutrition Tips for Young Athletes