Many of us resolve to get fit in January, which is easier said than done, especially if you have young children.
But instead of finding someone to babysit while you run or hit the gym, why not kill two birds with one stone and get the family involved in your fitness drive.
Not only does this mean you get fit without having to step out to look after the kids, but it also means you’re setting a great example for your children by showing them how important it is to be active. , and they are fitting with you. Hope it will be fun too.
“Families Focusing on fitness together is a great way to stay motivated,” says Jack Claxton, a personal trainer. David Lloyd Clubs.“It’s amazing to build a strong relationship with children while having a healthy benefit at the same time.”
and personal trainer Sarah Kemps, founder of LDN Mums Fitness, explains: “Exercise releases feel-good hormones – dopamine, serotonin and endorphins – and not only improves your mood, it will also improve your self-esteem, and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. will do
“All these effects benefit not only you, but your family as well. You are the biggest role model for your children and it is said that children do better when you walk with them.
Kemps, a mother of three, says families don’t need to do a lot of exercise to feel the benefits, noting that studies show 15 minutes of functional exercise is enough. So instead of walking with the pram, run with it!
“The rewards can be felt immediately and last much longer than the movement itself,” says Kemps.
“I encourage the whole family to participate in short, brisk workouts to get the heart rate up, promote blood flow around the body and get those happy hormones flowing.”
Top exercises for a full body workout using only body weight that can be done at home by the whole family…
1. Climbing the stairsCamp suggests the whole family walk up the stairs one behind the other, and asks: “How many times can you go up and down in a given amount of time?”
2. Stair exercise
Camps explains that this is where family members use the stairs as height to perform various exercises. Exercises can include press-ups, lunges, shoulder taps (where you stand on the stairs with your hands in a high plank position and you repeatedly tap each shoulder with the opposite hand), knee drives, and tricep dips. .
3. Brushing the teeth“Do squats for the duration of brushing your teeth, or a kettle-boiling squat hold, a plank, or a mountain climber,” suggests Kemps.
4. Kitchen ExerciseKemps says you can use tins in the kitchen and have everyone in the family hold them as they do bicep curls, overhead presses, or tricep pulses (where you hold a tin in each hand). Keep your palms facing away from you, and push your palms back until your triceps tighten at the top of your arms, and then do a pulsating motion. do).
5. Joint effort exercisesExercises that are fun for the whole family but still hard work include ball turns – passing a ball or weighted object from one person to another – high-five planks in the middle, and any Putting the cardio kit together. “children “I like being able to compete with adults,” Claxton emphasizes.
6. Just dance.
“Put on some music and dance together for an upbeat and fun workout,” Kemps suggests.
7. Exercise in front of the TV.Instead of being the classic couch potato family watching TV, use the time to exercise while watching. Campus recommends couch exercises in front of the telly such as jogging in place, split squats, press-ups, glute bridges, lat side leg raises, or squats.
8. Active treasure huntingDesign a treasure hunt – indoor or outdoor, depending on the season. “It gets everyone moving and encourages the whole family to use their cognitive function and imagination,” says Camps.
9. Create a DIY obstacle courseIt’s easy to make your own obstacle course in the garden or park, says Kemps, who suggests using cones, jump ropes and other household items to make rounds.
10. Gardening gamesGo outside and garden together or see how many leaves you can put in a pile or bucket in a given amount of time.
11. If you want to use the equipment…
Claxton recommends exercises that can benefit the whole family using gym kit that includes anything from the ‘functional’ zone of the gym, such as slam balls, core bags, and TRX. “Even punching bags can provide a fun, competitive way to train among the family,” he says.
12. Set fitness challenges.
Camps suggests seeing who in the family can do the most push-ups, sit-ups, or jumping jacks in a given amount of time. “Encourage each other — you can do this in teams, too,” she says.
“Set small fun goals to track progress and keep each other motivated and accountable, like getting it done before you come down for breakfast or putting on your shoes to go out.”
She adds: “Get the family to do at least 10 minutes of exercise every day – get everyone involved, and put on your favorite music. Remember to keep it fun, and choose activities that everyone enjoys. Make exercise feel like a chore.
“Make sure movement is included, and make small adaptations for all ages and ability levels. By making fitness a family affair, you can establish healthy habits and spend quality time together.”