Family exercise: Top 3 ways to stay in shape

One day you wake up and you’re a parent. Finding time to remain youthful may become a new challenge. In between taking the kids to school, sporting events, extra curricular activities and other miscellaneous affairs, finding time to stay fit may become less and less important. Why is this a bad thing? We want to live long, prosperous lives, and one of the ways to make that most likely, is to take care of our minds and bodies. There are ways to incorporate exercise into your busy routine. Here are a few basic tips that will help you, help your body stay young.

1)   Find an exercise that the whole family enjoys so that you can do it together- If you notice that your kiddos like jogging then get a running start, mom and dad. If they play basketball, grab a rulebook and jump on board. Find a common goal and spend time together while working on your health and wellness.

2)   Exercise before your day begins- Get up a half hour early and begin an exercise routine. Whether it’s an elliptical machine, a treadmill or even an early morning run, get an early start and then begin your day. This is a fast way to get it out of the way early, and it won’t interfere with your other activities. Your body and mind will be jump started, refreshed and ready for action.

3)   Move around during your lunch- If you’re a working parent, then you get some time to eat your lunch and perhaps an extra 15 minutes here and there. Exercise during your lunch break. Depending on how much time you have, and the kind of facilities you have available to you, this can be an easy break in the day to refresh and renew. If you don’t have enough time to do a full workout, walk around the grounds. Just keep moving until it’s time to go back to work. A little activity during the day, especially if you have a sedentary job, will certainly get your heart pumping and your blood moving, waking up your brain and filling you with heightened energy.

Time is of the essence and you can get a handle on it. Keep up with those kiddos and live long enough to see your great-grandchildren. Find the time and don’t be left behind. Run circles around those kiddos and encourage them to stay healthy as well. Remember that they will imitate what they see so always be aware of the image you are projecting. Always make sure love is what they see.