Family Fitness throughout the Holidays

As the temperature outside continues to grow colder, it is easy to simply want to cuddle up on the couch with a warm cup of hot cocoa, snacks, and your favorite holiday movie.  However, with the rising obesity levels, especially among children, staying active before, during, and after the holidays is an important part of being healthy.

A key way to help your children become healthy adults is to encourage an active lifestyle. Children in the United States today are less fit than they were a generation ago, and physical inactivity has become a serious problem.

So, what can parents do to help increase the entire family’s fitness level?  First and foremost, parents can be good role models. If children do not see the adults in their lives taking interest in hobbies and participating in activities that promote continuous movement for 30 to 60 minutes a day, they are less likely to adopt active lifestyles.

Decreasing “screen time” for families during the holidays is another way parents can increase the family fitness level. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the average child watches about 3 hours of television a day.  Choosing to turn off the television or computer and taking an outdoor family walk to see neighborhood holiday decorations or just dancing around in the family room to favorite music are two ways to keep the family moving. Take every opportunity to establish good viewing habits, and ensure that children have no more than 2 hours of television and video time per day, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Parents should also encourage their kids to do a variety of activities. For children, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise in gym class, walking or playing fetch with the dog, or even playing tag in and outdoors. According to the 2010 dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, all children 2 years and older should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most, and preferably all, days of the week, with adolescents and adults getting at least 30 minutes.

As winter approaches, here are some helpful ways to increase your family’s physical activity time:

·      Establish a weekly Dance-A-Thon night, dancing to a variety of favorite fun music from      various eras.

·      Work together in a family garden.

·      Put up and take down holiday decorations outside as a family.

Being active is a crucial element of health for all ages. So this year, resolve to take small steps to help your family make healthy behavior changes that will keep your family moving towards better health in the coming year.