A big part of being a good parent is having the physical fitness of your entire family in mind. This means that you should at least be aware of the general state of activity that everyone is in, and the basics of their daily nutritional intake.
But if you haven’t really considered that you’re a tastemaker as a parent, in this regard, then consider the five following ways to keep your family physically fit by paying attention to available workout equipment, signing up for local races or events, working on your meal planning, cutting back on TV time, and having at least a general interest in casual sporting participation.
Buy an Elliptical Machine
One of the best workout machines for total family use is an elliptical. They are easy to use, low impact, and can be used by children through adults for strength and endurance training within the realm of cardio workouts. A quick review of the best elliptical machines will show you that, yes, it’s a bit of a specific exercise machine, but there are definitely different variations to consider based on your own family’s needs.
Sign Up for Races Together
All around the world there are small races that are put on at the community level. They’re usually advertised as 5K’s, 10K’s, marathons, 3-miles, etc., and a lot of time the money you spend on registration goes to some kind of organization or charity. The competitive factor is typically pretty low at these events, so by signing up your whole family, you all have a chance to stay fit and have fun doing something together, but also counts as an individual effort. Find a race near you today!
Work On Your Meal Planning
When you start meal planning for your family, you’ll probably realize that the food that you typically eat doesn’t follow nutritional guidelines perhaps as well as it should. This is normal, but this is also a reason to start planning better for the sake of your family’s health.
Shorten TV Time
By shortening TV time, you’ll get your family to be more physically active, more mentally active, and less lethargic. Start slow and cut back hours a bit at a time, so they won’t even notice what’s happening until suddenly they feel better because they’ve spent less time staring at a screen.
Keep Active In Casual Sporting Events
Everyone in your family is probably somewhat interested in a least one sport. It could be soccer, baseball, basketball, or anything else, but if as a parent, you work to maintain their interest by signing them up even for something like a rec league, then you’re doing them a great service for their health.
