A fantastic goal to have is to improve your fitness – for whatever reason. An even better goal is to encourage your whole family to join you on this fitness journey. You’re feeling inspired, great! Your unit is on-board with this, awesome! So now, how do we make it happen? We want to aim to make it fun and sustainable, right? Read on for some handy tips and places to get started because you’ve come to right place.
Tip #1
Be A Good Role Model
One of the best ways to encourage good habits and behaviours in your children especially is to set a great example. Think monkey see, monkey do. If you’re taking strides like eating veggies or going for a walk, your munchkins will be bursting to follow suit. Show them by example, how you envision your family lifestyle to be.
Tip #2
Pick up a class or two
Have you ever considered a Junior fitness class? These specialised classes are based on child and adolescent development and are age appropriate! You and your little one could be going to the gym together – how adorable! Plus having specialised junior programs have been known to increase bone strength, increase concentration levels. Having active little ones will also encourage better sleep and better appetite – winning!
Tip #3
Encourage a Healthy Diet
We’ve all heard of the 80/20 rule. It’s 80% diet and 20% exercise. You can’t out-train a bad diet. We know, we know – so let’s implement it. There are thousands upon thousands of healthy family friendly recipes available online. If that’s not tickling your fancy, try buying a healthy eating cookbook from one of your favourite celebrity chefs. Or make it a family bonding activity with experimental cooking. Collect all of your family’s favourite ingredients (or healthier alternatives of them) and create something together. The whole family will learn to be more conscious of what they eat and what is best for their health.
Tip #4
Stay Involved
We all get busy, but regardless of how much you have on your plate make it a priority to take your health and fitness seriously. Commit to making dinners together or set a weekly activity schedule. Ask your kids how they are going, listen to what they say. Maybe they aren’t enjoying a particular activity or meal – this is an opportunity to show them that their voices are heard and their preferences can be catered to.
Tip#5
Take Up a Sport That You Can All Get Around
Do you follow all a sport? Does your kid go crazy for a particular team? Whether you’re a fair-dinkum Aussie Rules fan or a real European Football fan, there are plenty of ways to get involved in sports within your community. If team sports aren’t your/your kids’ scene, explore things like Tennis, Golf, or even Archery! Other sports that might spark interest include Water Polo, Athletics Clubs, Hockey, Table Tennis, Swimming, Dancing, Horse Riding – there is even a jousting club located in Melbourne!
