Did you get your cardio in today? How about strength training? What was your most active thing you performed today? If you are into exercise, then fantastic, but the obesity and overweight numbers in our country would indicate that most of us do not exercise often enough. Our sedentary lives born out of modern convenience have created quite a few health problems for many of us.
As the saying goes, “children learn what they live” so if Mom or Dad do not approach fitness as a daily necessity, chance are the children do not either. It’s probably hard for some people to picture a child “working out,” and we rely on the exercise they get while playing to counteract all the sweets and otherwise sedentary activities.
The older our children get, the less they “play hard” especially if they are girls. This certainly isn’t always true, especially for athletically active kids. However, if you are relying on a few games and an occasional sports practice to offer your child all the exercise he or she needs, this may not be enough.
Sports are great and playing outside is great; but if you want to foster daily fitness that your child will take with them long into their adult years, then you need to make it as much of a habit as brushing their teeth. This might be difficult if you don’t already exercise, but now might be a good time to get the whole family in shape. You might consider one of our weight loss camps for kids this summer or over the next break to help, but you can get started right now!
Make it fun, but make it purposeful. If you can keep up a game of tag or football at the park for 30 minutes, then that might be an idea. Keep in mind that your child needs to develop the skills necessary to perform exercise without having others around. If your child is old enough, you might consider purchasing a used treadmill. If that’s not in the budget, then buy a $3.00 jump rope. A trampoline is rather expensive, but it might be a good family gift for the next holiday.
A fitness camp for kids is a great way to foster a healthy lifestyle. Your child will have loads of fun and will bring home tons of new activities and exercises; some of which you might just enjoy doing!
