You’ve made it through the thick of winter, and with spring and summer approaching, it’s a great time to liven up your fitness regimen and get outdoors more. Doing fitness activities in a group, like with your family, could give you that extra push – as family members can help provide you with motivation, accountability, and the support you need to get active. Here are a few easy ways to get your family together for a good sweat:
- Go for before and after dinner walks. The weather’s only getting warmer, so use it as an opportunity to get outside with your family for a brisk walk before and after meals. On your walk, you may even find a detour like a playground or park, where you can play on the jungle gym or reconnect with nature as a family. Going for regular walks is a great way to improve your health, and can ultimately help you lose weight, de-stress, lower your blood pressure, and more – so taking time out of your day for a neighborhood stroll (even if it’s 20 minutes) can go a long way.
- Do workouts incorporating your kids. If your kids are on the younger side and not fully capable of doing workouts (or even walking) on their own yet, it’s easy to get them involved in your exercise routine—without getting overly complicated. This Men’s Health video shows one dad’s way of incorporating his young daughter into his workout – including pushups, lunges, squats and more.
- Dance your hearts out. Dancing is a very effective way to get cardiovascular exercise in – and is also fun for your kids to expend some of their pent up energy and let loose. Make a playlist or throw on a dancing movie your kids enjoy after dinner to get your whole family dancing for 30 minutes or more.
- Make chores a workout. Kids dread chores, but adding in a little upbeat workout or activity to them can help burn some extra calories and make them more fun! Try creating a family game out of chores, like doing abs while folding laundry or doing “grocery squats” while putting groceries away.
Which of these activities are you going to try with your family? Share them, along with ways you stay active with your family, in the comments below.
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