Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

With the weather changing for the better and the days becoming longer, this is as good of a time as any to get the family up and moving. It has been a long winter, and most of us have fallen into boring routines of being indoors binge watching Netflix or playing video games to stay out of the cold. Finally, spring is here, so it’s time to break those boring routines and switch it up!

Start with Small Trips Outside

Motivating the family to be healthier can seem like a challenge. Some tricks I use to get my family back outside is just starting small. It could be walking the dog around the block. If that seems more like a chore, try making a trip to the park. Play with the kids on the playground or find trails to walk. Bike rides and participating in local 5K run/walk events can also be a great way to get the family back up and moving after long, dreary days! 

Don’t Forget Nutrition with Fresh, in-Season Produce

Getting the family to take a healthier approach is not just about physical activity; think of nutrition as well. This is a great time to restock the fridge with some of your favorite fruits and vegetables because most likely they are fresh and in season right about now. Fresh fruit and cold-cut vegetables are great to pack for family gatherings, picnics, and even school lunches. Slow approaches to getting the family into healthier habits gives them time to adjust to the changes and make them habits. A great way to change up their nutrition is trying a new fruit or vegetable at least once a week. This way everyone will be excited to try something different while also finding new foods that are nutritious.

Healthy Habits for Life

Motivating your family to be healthier does not have to be a challenge. Encourage fun activities that the whole family will enjoy. Starting healthy habits when children are young can help them keep these habits in the future. If not everyone is ready for exercise, try motivating the family to make healthier food choices. Finding common ground can be key to getting the whole family motivated. If one person gets motivated first, it could help fuel the rest of the family’s motivation to be healthier.

What are your family's favorite activities to do together,         comment below!

Do you remember your childhood? I’m sure most of us can say we were pretty active as children and looking back we can see how important that was for our continued physical well-being. Without the distractions from electronics and television options, what else could we do but get up and move? We all know that kids should be active, but when kids want to go beyond traditional activities like riding bikes and playing tag, how can we safely challenge them? Check out the exercise descriptions below to get started with your kids. We've also provided a video at the end of the blog that you can use to start family workouts at home.

Planking: What better way to challenge your kids than by asking them how long they can hold a plank? Start with elbows and toes on the ground, keep your back straight, abs tight, and all in one straight line. Body should be parallel to the ground. Strengthen core, upper body, and even lower body by starting with a 30-second plank.

Squats: Squats are just like sitting down in a chair, so if your kids have nailed that, they can get the hang of a squat. With feet shoulder width apart, slowly bend the knees as if you are sitting down on a box or chair. Make sure the knees don’t extend past the toes when lowering down into the squat position. Aim for 15-20 reps to start. Add a hop at the end for a little extra challenge!

Pushups: This is another exercise to test overall body strength. Start from a straight-arm plank position and bending at the elbows, slowly lower the chest to the ground. Make sure the body lowers as one unit versus a form that looks like “the worm."  Aim for 15-20 repetitions. Drop your knees to the ground if a modification is needed. 

Lunges: All legs here! Take a step forward with one leg and slowly lower the back knee down towards the ground. Step forward back to beginning position and switch legs. Make sure the front knee doesn’t extend past your toe, and that the chest stays upright. Shoot for 20 lunges to start, but make sure your form doesn’t weaken as you increase the repetitions.

Burpees: The ultimate test! If you really want to challenge your kids and maybe expend some of that extra energy, ask them to do a few burpees. These will really get the heart racing. Start by squatting down, putting the hands on the ground and either hopping or walking the feet back to a high plank position. Add the optional pushup from here and then walk or hop the feet back up towards the hands, followed by a hop straight up in the air. That, my friends, is one burpee. Shoot for 5-10 burpees and see how they feel. Increase repetitions as strength and endurance improve. 

Repeat all for a challenge!