A recent poll found that 4 out of 5 parents of youth athletes said their main concern for the upcoming school year was how to keep their family healthy, physically and mentally, with nearly all saying that they often sacrificed their own mental and physical fitness to maintain the rigorous schedules that school and extracurricular activities demand.
So how can a family stay fit throughout the school year. Here are six tips:
- Healthy habits begin at home. Keep healthy snacks in the house that will contribute to your family's immune system, metabolism and mood.
- Play family games: Try to put one hour per weekend aside for family games like shooting hoops, wiffleball, catch, or volleyball. You'll not only stay active, but if your child isn't currently playing a sport you'll be helping them sharpen their child's motor skills and improve their confidence for the next season. You will also be keeping your blood flowing, which can help fight heart disease and arthritis.
- Make dinner time interactive. Include the whole family when picking out groceries or preparing meals. Teaching your kids about eating and cooking will help them live a healthier lifestyle long after they've left the nest. Dinner is also a good time to check in on the mental health of the family and improve communication.
- Walk, run or swim. Sign up for one charity walk, run or physical event each year. It will give your family something to train for as a team, and provide a means for you all to give back, which is always healthy for the soul.
- Include pets in your fitness routine. Animals need exercise and nutrition too. Have each family member dedicate 30 minutes a week to rigorous play with your pet to minimize the chance that it will develop arthritic joints or other health problems as it ages. Make sure you keep the amount of human food you feed your pet to a minimum and that its feeding routine doesn't fall by the wayside while the family is all on the go.
- Workout as a family. Find an athletic facility or gym that has program for every member of the family and get used to a workout routine that keeps you all in shape. Athletic Evolution, a fitness center in Woburn, Massachusetts, for instance, has an AEFit Program that offers CrossFit, TRX, and BootCamps parents can attend while their kids are training.
Source: Athletic Evolution
Athletic Evolution provides breakthrough athletic and fitness training for athletes at all levels and abilities, helping them to strengthen their capabilities and exceed their fitness goals, and is the only Nike-affiliated training facility in New England.
Posted August 20, 2012
