Balancing Work and Family Fitness

In today’s society, both parents work. The reason for this comes out of the necessity to bring in an adequate amount of money to meet debt demands. A mother and father are the first to express concern about making the time to balance the needs of the family while balancing the budget and having the time and energy for both.

Set a Good Example for Your Kids

If you are a parent, you need to remember that your children learn by the example you set. Children are keen on observation and follow what parents do and say.

For example, if you are a couch potato in any spare time you have, your children are going to spend more time sitting, gaming, watching television, and take up more inactivity outlets.

This generation is full of electronics that grab the interest and attention of children everywhere. It seems as though all kids want to do is play with their electronic gadgets.

These sedentary activities do bodies no favors. Learn to limit your children’s time on television, kindles, iPhones, computers, and gaming consoles. Children these days love to be told to “Go to your room.”

Everyone Has 24 Hours in a Day

If you are a parent, you are the ones to instill in your kids the importance of physical fitness. Everyone has 24 hours in a day. The clue to making the time for physical fitness with the kids is how you schedule your time.

Allowing one hour out of 24 hours a day for moderate to vigorous activity every day helps all family members remain healthy and keep weights within a reasonable range. This time also allows for bonding time for parents and children.

This one hour allows for your kids to learn how important physical fitness is to you and your spouse. The kids may not want to comply, but once they do they will not know where the hour went and wanted more.

Do as much as you can outdoors. The fresh air is invigorating and gives parents and children a healthy appetite for all of the healthy foods you fix.

If you are at a loss for ideas, there are plenty of ways in which you incorporate one hour of fitness with the kids.

Some Family Activity Examples

• Hiking on a nature trail
• Biking
• Team sports
• Walking
• Go bowling
• Play a game of tennis
• Play tag
• Take the kids for a game of miniature golf
• Fly a kite
• Go sledding
• Cross-country ski
• Take the family for a swim, winter or summer
• Play ball
• Jump rope
• Lawn care, garden, and pulling weeds
• Rake up leaves and jump in the piles
• Plan a room where you can, and your kids can build a workout room on inclement weather days.

Do not allow your children to form bad habits for exercise and eating.

When there is something as important in your life as physical activity for one hour a day, many things can obstruct your plans. These obstructions can come in the form of,
emergencies, work, deadlines, and unexpected visits from family and friends to mention a few.

You must meet your unique obligations so just rearrange your schedule and fit it in or spend extra time the next day doing what everyone loves to do in the way of exercise such as biking two hours instead of one hour.