3 Fitness Tips for Getting Your Kids Off the Couch

01/15/2015 Leave a comment

Photo credit: Vastateparksstaff (Family bike ride Uploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Our world today revolves around the latest technology in the form of smartphones, tablets, and video game systems. Big name companies compete to bring us the latest and greatest technology and it not only has an affect on adults, but children as well.

Children today are growing up in a completely different world than it was 20 years ago. There are first graders with cell phones, teens who would rather text than talk, and video games with such lifelike graphics it’s scary. The lure of these video games is especially strong in children and teens and brings with it the problem of little or no outside activity in this age group. As parents, it’s important to know how to get your children involved in something other than staring at a TV screen or holding a game controller all day long.

Be the example – Parents can set an excellent example for their children if they are active in their daily routine. If your child sees you exercising or spending more time outside than in front of the television, they will most likely follow your example as they grow older. It may take a little bit of nudging to get them to put the cell phone down, but it will happen. Likewise, if you are a couch potato, or have your nose stuck in the computer all day, they will be more apt to follow in your footsteps. Be the person that you would want your child to be. If you keep that in mind, it won’t be hard to set good habits in motion for the whole family.

Create a routine – A daily routine can help your child get rid of bad habits and instill some discipline in the whole family. Talk to your child about getting on a schedule and let them be involved in creating a routine that works for all of you. Limit the amount of time your child is in front of the television, on the Internet, or on his/her cell phone and stick to it. Make a trip to the park or a walk outside part of your daily routine. If it’s too cold outside, play a game of tag or hide and seek just to get yourself and your child moving. Small daily steps can help to break some bad habits and lead you into a new way of life.

Find activities your child will enjoy – This can be anything from organized sports at school to a daily trip to the local gym. Talk to your child about getting involved in school activities that will keep them moving. If he/she isn’t much of a sports fanatic, there are a ton of other ways to keep them active. Going on a family hike, swimming, or simply blasting some music and dancing around the living room are some fun ways to keep in shape and have fun while doing it.

It may take some time to establish a routine that works for you and your family, but don’t give up. Make small changes on a daily basis to get your child used to any form of daily activity. Pretty soon, a trip to the park or playing ball outside will be the new normal instead of coming home to play video games or surf the Internet. Making small daily changes not only forms better habits in your child, but in your whole family.

 

Filed under children, exercise, family exercise, fitness, outdoor exercise, swimming, youth Tagged with

Fun Runs for Fitness

10/29/2013 Leave a comment

Public Domain

Theme races have exploded onto the fitness scene, and people of all ages have gravitated and embraced this craze. In previous years, the most popular fun run has most likely been the annual Thanksgiving 5k Turkey Trot in your neighborhood. While Turkey Trots everywhere will no doubt remain an integral part of Thanksgiving Day for fitness inspired families, here are some races that will not only keep you active, but also allow you to have a blast doing it!

Color Run

Also known as the Happiest 5k on the planet, the color run is an untimed race where participants are covered with different colored cornstarch-based and toxic-free powder at each kilometer. A rainbow of colors then explodes onto everyone in celebration of the finish line. This race is extremely family- friendly in that it is walk and stroller friendly, but can easily accommodate any running enthusiast.

Electric Run

The electric run boasts a similar foundation of color and enthusiasm as the Color Run, but with an added nighttime twist. Contestants walk, run and even dance through various light displays that are coordinated with music along the course. Colorful and eccentric costumes are highly encouraged, and due to time-of-day, this race caters to spunky adults.

Warrior Dash

This is a traditional mud-run where participants race through mud pits, tunnels, slippery hills, cargo climbs and more! The obstacles provide for an added challenge that appeals to runners, fitness enthusiasts and 5k novices alike. While there is certainly a competitive edge to the nature of this race, the ability to modify and adjust to each obstacle is there for those who desire the adventure with slightly less intensity.  Participants must be at least 14 years old to compete due to the slightly chaotic nature of the course and obstacles.

Run for your Lives

This run puts an eccentric twist on your traditional mud run! Here, the motivation behind your run is that you are literally “running for your life”, and this is fueled by the extremely popular Zombie trend. Zombies are chasing you as you are running through mud and working around various obstacles. Flag-football comes into play as participants have 3 flags around their waists, throughout the race. The object is to make it through the race without the zombies getting all 3 flags.

5k Foam Fest

Think mud run meets car wash, and add various costumes and limbs to the mix for an extremely fun finish line. Obstacles on this course are a mix of traditional mud pits, climbing walls, tunnels and rope courses that are followed by inflatable bouncy slides and contraptions covered in fluffy white, soapy foam. This race focuses more on the silliness of the obstacles, and running only adds to the mix, so if you’re looking for a more traditional running-oriented 5k, a different race might be worth looking into.

Hot Chocolate 5k and 15k

Geared toward a wide variety of varied-level runners, this race is referred to as America’s Sweetest Race. The actual race itself is a traditional road race, but what lies at the finish line is what creates the stand out—upon completing the race, each participant receives a hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and various dipping treats. Talk about a reward!

Filed under aerobic exercise, exercise, jogging, outdoor exercise, running, weight loss

Stay Cool & Hydrated During Summer Workouts

08/22/2013 Leave a comment

Bibikoff CC-BY-2.0

The summer heat is sizzling but you can still enjoy outdoor exercise if you take a few precautions. When it’s hot outside your body sweats to help you cool off and stay cool by evaporating and taking heat away as your sweat evaporates. High humidity can prevent your sweat from evaporating. That’s one of the reasons you feel so miserable on high humidity days. Make sure that you drink enough water to stay hydrated. You can’t rely on how thirsty you feel to stay hydrated, so make sure you drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout.

Drink 2 eight ounce cups of water before you start exercising outdoors on hot days. Drink another 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Carry a bottle of water if you are biking, walking, jogging or running. When you finish your outdoor workout, drink another 8 ounces of water. You can drink other types of fluids if you get bored with water. Dilute some fruit juice with water or try a sports drink in your favorite flavor. Juice and sports drinks can not only keep you hydrated but also replenish carbohydrates, minerals and electrolytes. Many sports drinks increase your blood sugar which can become depleted during exercise. Avoid energy drinks that contain caffeine as these can actually increase dehydration and increase your heart rate.

Don’t push yourself too hard when the temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Exercise indoors in an air conditioned gym if the weather is too hot or humid. Learn the warning signs of heat illness. Muscle cramps, headache, dizziness and fatigue may be signs of serious heat illness. Stop exercising, rest and re-hydrate your body. See a doctor if symptoms persist.

Filed under drinks, fitness, hydration, outdoor exercise, outdoors, safety, workouts

Beware of Bugs When Exercising Outdoors

05/01/2012 1 Comment

Photo Credit: John Sullivan PD
Many people exercise outdoors, especially during warm weather. When the weather is warm, the bugs come out! The more time you spend outside, especially in rural areas, parks and other wooded areas the more likely you are to be bitten by a bug or stung by a bee. Spiders, bees, mosquitoes, wasps and ticks live in most every part of the United States. Stinging and biting insects are found even in cities. Insects and spiders can make you sick in addition to leaving a painful, itchy, swollen bite on your skin. Most insect bites cause only a mild reaction but sometimes insects and spiders can make you very sick or even cause severe allergic reactions which can be life threatening. When you exercise outside during warm weather, take measures to protect yourself.
Use an insect repellent to protect yourself from flying insects, like mosquitoes and bees. You can apply an insect repellent over your sunscreen, but avoid using repellents on your face or other sensitive areas of the skin. There are over-the-counter products that combine both a sunscreen and an insect repellent. Choose a natural, herbal and essential oil insect repellent if you don’t want to use a chemical concoction. Health food and herbalist stores can help you find the ingredients to make your own natural repellent or you can buy pre-mixed natural insect repellents in some stores.
Learn your local flora, find out when the plants bloom and which insect pollinators are attracted to the flowers. Most wild flowering plants bloom for a short time. Should you be stung by a bee while walking, running or jogging outdoors, remove the stinger as soon as possible. Bee stingers are barbed to hold them in the skin. Bees leave the stinger and the venom sack behind in your skin. Don’t pinch the stinger with tweezers to remove it or you could squeeze more venom into your skin. Scrape the stinger out of your skin by dragging a flat, straight-edge object, like a credit card, across the stinger. If you are allergic to bee or wasp stings, you probably should avoid areas where bees and wasps will be attracted to flowering plants.

Ticks live almost everywhere, especially in wooded areas and tall grass. Ticks can carry diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease or tularemia. Ticks bite by burying their tiny heads in your skin and sucking blood. Remove a tick with tweezers by grasping the tick as close to your skin as possible and pulling it straight out. Wash the affected area with soap and water and treat it with an antiseptic. If you enjoy hiking, walking and exploring in wooded areas, wear light color clothing to make it easier to see ticks on your clothes. Wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants with the cuffs tucked into your socks to prevent ticks from getting inside your pants.

Filed under insects, outdoor exercise, safety