Regular exercise is a must to keep you healthy and energized, but let’s be honest. Sometimes, it’s just not easy to head to the gym after an exhausting day. To keep yourself fit and fabulous, make your workouts more family-oriented and fun…with your kids!
Dance Through Your Chores
When you listen to music while working out, you improve your performance and it makes your workout feel much easier. So when you clean up the house with the kids, put on your favorite playlist so you can add some calorie-burning dance moves to the mix!
Choose the Park Instead of the Treadmill
If your kids play computer games instead of interacting with you, get them moving by going to play in the park. Run around, play sports or do some power-walking. This is so much better for you than the treadmill at the gym because you’ll have beautiful scenery to enrich the exercise experience.
Grab Your Old Roller Skates
Remember those fun roller skates you used to love as a kid? Now’s the time to dust them off. Go outside and have races to get your blood pumping. Roller skates are excellent ways to give your full body a workout while being gentler on your joints, so they’re especially kid-friendly.
Get a Supermarket Workout
Although doing squats in aisle five might be weird, there are easy ways to sneak in a workout with the kids when grocery shopping. Use the stairs instead of the escalator, rush through the aisles to find what you need, and park your car further away from the store so you can get your blood pumping with a fast walk.
Create a Garden
Building a garden as a family is a wonderful idea for quality time and it’s rewarding to see things grow. You can also work up a sweat and might even get more of a workout than weight training, but you’ll have much more fun!
Dust Off a Hula Hoop
During TV commercials, get your kids to hula hoop and do it too. It’s enjoyable and although it doesn’t feel like a workout, it’s very effective. Just 30 minutes of hula-hooping will burn lots of calories, boost your coordination and build your abdominal muscles.
Bring Your Bike
Instead of taking the car to the store, ride your bikes. This is a fun way to get in shape and explore your surroundings. Riding a bike for two and a half hours every week will help you stay fit.
Make it a Competition
Play sports together as a family, but make them more intense by turning them into competitions. This is a lot of fun and you won’t notice how much your muscles are firing when you’re jumping to make that basketball shot or win the relay race.
Run with Fido
If you have a family pet, you need to give it fresh air and exercise daily, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get yourself and your kids moving. Instead of just walking your dog, jog to quicken your heart rate and burn off calories.
Jump Away That Excess Energy
Kids get energetic at certain times of the day, so use that time to exercise. Do star jumps or lunges with your kids around the house to burn off their energy and give you a quick workout. A few of those daily and you’ll be fit in no time.
There are plenty of ways to get in shape, burn calories and feel good with exercise. The key is to make it fun and a family affair!
Naomi Shaw is a freelance journalist residing in sunny Southern California with her husband and three children. She is a work-at-home mom that enjoys writing on health, fashion, beauty, jewelry, and interior design. She loves to garden, craft, and revamp furniture, making it look very much her own.