Fitting in time for Fitness

For me working out is the only time I have to myself but  have found that if I don’t wake at the crack of dawn then I abandon all possibilities of getting a workout in.  I have made a commitment to getting in shape without excuses, so I made a list of family friendly workouts to ensure this happens.

Exercising is not optional, and can be a really overwhelming task to add to the daily routine.  I have very little time and the best way to get exercise in for me is getting up an hour earlier (yawn) or workout as a family.  The best part about working out as a family is that you are spending family time and getting in the dreaded exercise. Here is a list of activities to do as a family to work out:

Dance Party!- Put on some music and go crazy, you will burn upwards of 600 calories for 30 minutes of dancing around!

Family walk- We walk as a family all the time and it is a great way to hear about my daughter’s day at school and get the boys to calm down before bed.

Bike Ride- This is a great way to explore your neighborhood or to venture out to a local bike trail.  Ride to a local park and have lunch.

HIIT-Get your whole family involved in a High Intensity Interval Training session. Set up five stations: one for Push-ups, Jumping jacks, Squats, Sit ups, and Running in place.  Set a timer and have each family member start at a station and switch every 30 seconds.  This is fun even for young kids and hilarious to watch as they attempt each exercise.

Go for a Hike-Get outside and go for a hike, this will not only accomplish family time and exercise but it will also add to time spent outdoors, which is always a goal of mine.  Make sure you pick a trail that will be fun and doable for the whole family, the last thing you want is to have kids melting down on a mountain trail.

Go swimming- My kids love to swim and I will admit we never go (adding to my list). For families with a pool this is a no brainier, but for those of us without pools, we can venture to the local public pool or YMCA.

The benefit of working out with your family is there is no guilt of dropping your kids at the gym daycare or leaving your significant other home to herd the kids.  Working out can be fun and help get the most out of our time spent.