05 May Making fitness a lifestyle: Family affair

Fitness is not something you should only think about for an hour or so, three or four times a week, when you exercise.
Fitness should be a lifestyle for you – and your family.
A family that enjoys a fit lifestyle will not only be healthier, but have more fun doing things together away from the TV and computer.
Here are 15 tips to help you enjoy family fitness together:

* Take active vacations that include activities like hiking, swimming and skiing;
* Play sports the entire family can do together, like baseball (softball), basketball, volleyball, tennis, frisbee, etc.;
* Go on family bike rides;
* If you have short errands or trips to make, walk instead of driving the family truckster whenever possible;
* Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator if possible (well escalators are fun to ride, maybe keep taking those);
* Instead of heading to the TV after dinner, go on a walk together;
* Do active chores together;
* Set up a family workout room if you have the means to do it, get a treadmill and weight machine;
* Plant and then work in a garden together;
* When you are watching TV, do pushups or sit-ups on occasion during the commercials;
* Pack a lunch for work or a family outing if there won’t be places to eat nearby that offer whole grains, fruits and vegetables;
* Go horseback riding;
* Carry things like book bags, groceries and picnic baskets to build strength;
* Get off the bus several stops early and walk the rest of the way;
* Park the car as far from the entrance to a store as possible.

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