Are you and your family lulled into hibernation mode?
Winter took a bone-chilling turn this July and the idea of replacing your morning run with an extra half-hour in bed is very tempting during the winter months, not so?
It’s normal that during this time of the year, everyone, including the kids, want to cosy up in front of the TV. And yes, despite being aware of all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise, most of us dig into comfort food, and fitness regimes fly out the window.
Think of it this way though, neglecting your training programme for the winter only means you must work so much harder to get back to where you were! However, with a little creativity, staying fit as a family can be fun.
So, be the cheerleader and show your kids that activity is a priority every day, despite the wicked winter weather!
Get the fitness fires burning with these fun activities:
- Bounce your way to health. Take the kids to a trampoline gym. They’ll go bugged-eyed wild whilst working up a sweat. Ideal for families with kids aged three and above. Great family fun!
- Workout while gaming. Sure, parents are not supposed to encourage too much screen time, but there can be benefits. Exercise and dance video games are made to get you off the couch and moving. Give Wii sports or Wii fit a go. X-box’s just dance could be a fun way to get family involved in some physical activity.
- Shake your booty. Release your inner child and dance to some rockin’ tunes while cooking dinner. Your kids will have a blast bouncing to the beat. Up the fun factor while turning off the lights and dancing with a few glow sticks.
- Bring out the old favourites. Play charades, Twister, skip or hula hoop. Help kids to stretch and move by having a Jumping Jack contest. Also, a few wrestling moves could get both dad and the boys moving!
- Make your social life more active. Meet a friend for a 30-minute power-walk instead of heading to a coffee shop.
- Make chores fun. Turn chores into a game you can all do together. Race to see how quick you can get the house cleaned and try to beat your old time next week. Sweep, mop, dust – keep your house and your family beautiful!
- Do mall walking. When walking outdoors is not an option, do laps inside your local shopping mall. For the average person, a brisk one-hour walk can burn up to 400 calories. Perfect mother-daughter time!
- Do a home workout. A workout DVD or a quick YouTube search could hook you up with indoor aerobic routines.
- Brave the weather. Bundle up and go for a hike, cycle, or take the dog for a walk.
- Take up an indoor sport. Play squash, find an indoor swimming pool or take an aerobics class.
- Try yoga. You don’t have to be a Vinyasa Guru to practice the art of yoga. Increase your energy and flexibility through breathing techniques and strength training.
- Take the stairs. Running or walking up and down the stairs in your home is a great high- intensity cardio and leg workout.
Don’t let winter be an excuse to ignore fitness and wellbeing. Keep moving and get a jumpstart on feeling really good for the coming summer!
Source: www.workingmother.com, www.health.com, www.chcsno.org, www.wemd.com, www.abc.net.au, www.womenshealthsa.co.za, reverehealth.com, www.todaysparent.com, www.scholastic.com, www.active.com, www.curiousworld.com, www.clearlice.com, www.liverpoolecho.co.uk, www.express.co.uk, parentingsquad.com, blog.metlife.com, www.liferetreat.co.za, www.discovery.co.za, www.specsavers.co.za
