Five simple ways to make fitness fun for your family

ST. GEORGE – Family time is a special time to connect and learn about each other. Here are some ways to incorporate fitness and fun all at the same time:

Combine exercise and household chores. Take small pieces of paper; write down a chore and a body weight exercise on each one. Put the papers into a couple of bowls and have everyone pick one of each. Maybe dad gets to clean the family room and does a set of push-ups every few minutes until he is finished, while one of the children is cleaning the kitchen and doing jumping jacks, etc. The combinations are endless. Change it up with yard work and other chores.

Hire a certified personal trainer. They can design a program for each family member based on his or her individual needs and then work out together. If dad is looking to develop his strength and his teenage daughter wants to improve her soccer skills, a similar circuit can be set up at home, indoors and outdoors, to achieve both.

Each family member can pick an exercise at the beginning of the week or month and do as many reps as they can in one minute. Train throughout the week or month with the goal of improving by the end. The family member who has the highest percentage increase is rewarded with something small but personal and motivating. Remember to acknowledge that everyone is improving. Some exercise ideas might be push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks or jumping rope.

Designate one evening as family fitness night. Each week, a different person designs the family workout that you will all do together. Whether it’s swimming, rollerblading, walking, golf or a two-on-two basketball game everyone gets to do something they enjoy and your workout will never become dull.

Gather small pieces of equipment to keep around the house. Make some fitness rules: exercise during commercials every time you watch TV; set up exercises that are done during the show, and stretch before bed each night.

Making fitness a part of your family time can be rewarding in so many ways. It encourages health and wellness, inspires discipline, and goal setting and creates a family bond. Give it a try, I think you will be surprised at what you can gain from a family fitness program.

A D V E R T OR I A L

Dr. Denim Slade

Denim Slade, Ph.D. is the Clinical Director of WholeFit St. George.

For more information visit www.wholefitstgeorge.com or call him at 435-319-0917  www.wholefitstgeorge.com

Written by Denim Slade for St. George Health and Wellness magazine.

St. George Health and Wellness website

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, StGeorgeUtah.com Inc., and St. George Health and Wellness magazine, 2013, all rights reserved.

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