08 Jun Five tips for families to enjoy better overall health

The family that plays together, stays together – usually a lot longer.
You’ll enjoy better health with regular activity and better family bonding as well.
Teach your children a lifelong love for exercising and staying fit by starting when they’re young.
Here are five tips for families to enjoy better overall health through nutrition and exercise:
1. Eat breakfast together – Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, especially for kids. Get the day started off right with a good breakfast, which includes a mix of protein and fiber (ie: eggs, low-sugar cereal and wheat bread) and fruits.
2. Eat more fruit and vegetables – Make sure to have fruit and-or vegetables with every meal of the day and for some snacks as well. The Governments revamped Food Plate unveiled by First Lady Michelle Obama June 2 stresses the importance of a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Bonus tip: If you’re looking for a fun way to work more fruit into your kids’ diet, try a delicious fruit smoothie made in your blender.
3. Plant a garden together – Enjoy the sun, get some exercise and teach children the appreciation of growing something by planting a garden together. The, when the fruits and vegetables are ripe, enjoy the healthy benefits of eating fresh-from-the garden food.
4. Exercise together – Teach your children to enjoy exercising from an early age. Plan activities outside in which they run, jump, hop and skip. When children reach grade school it’s OK to start introducing them some to more adult-like exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, stretching and even weightlifting (use very light weight and high reps).
5. Plan healthy trips – Take the family on healthy trips where lots of walking will be done, such as to a state park or the zoo.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com