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5 Tips for Raising Fit Kids

5-6 days a week. That’s how often I workout. I plan and prepare healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself. It takes more effort at my age and after having 5 children then throw in genetics and I’ve really got to work hard to keep my temple operating at peak performance.

 

But do I go through the same lengths to ensure that my children are living well mind, body and spirit? I consistently feed their spirit by modeling my relationship with God before them, raising them rooted in the word of God and placing them in environments that affirm what I’ve already presented to them. Their minds are nourished when I attentively listen to them, show them how to embrace the now moment, spend quality time with them, and create opportunities for them to express themselves and to shine. Finally, I nourish their bodies by bringing food into the home that adds to not detracts from their health. But in addition to that, I’ve got to ensure that they are physically active.

 

The typical American lifestyle today is sedentary. Children are attached to television, desktops, laptops, DS, Smartphones, tablets and the like. When I was a child, I was outside playing. Outside in torrential Boston snow in the late 70’s and early 80’s. And it was REAL accumulation not just a few inches. I was outside when it was HOT and our only means of cooling down was taking a dip in the forceful current flowing from the fire hydrant. I was outside playing tag, mother may I, hide and go seek, hop scotch, double Dutch, hot peas and butter and red light/green light (am I telling my age?). When I was a child, I played and played hard!

 

So let me ask you, “Are you creating an environment for your child that promotes physical activity”?

 

The behaviors that are established in our youth carry us into our adulthood. We want to raise children who value honoring the temple through proper nourishment, rest and exercise.

 

Here are my 5 Tips For Raising Fit Kids

 

  1. Model The Behavior

It starts with us. Do they see us actively engaging in some form of physical activity? Even my two-year old recognizes exercise. When he sees me in my leggings grabbing my sneakers he says, “Mommy, you do exercise?” Oh, it just warms my heart. Then he proceeds to join me, even if just for a brief moment in my daily routine.

hold plank

lift weights

 

  1. Proactively Create Opportunities

Have you created time in your children’s schedule for daily exercise? Our children’s day can be so jammed packed that it squeezes out time for physical activity. Even if it’s 15 minutes of outside time right after school, ensure you’ve given time for physical activity.

Health Expo

 

 

  1. Know What They Like

Know what type of physical activity your children enjoy then create opportunities for them to DO that activity. My 2nd born isn’t that interested in a great deal of physical activity. He’s much more content with a big pile of Legos. But he loves his scooter and somewhat likes bike riding. He likes to take his scooter with him to the park. Now that used to annoy me because he’d ask for it when I was already driving away from the house to head to the park or he’d be careless with it after riding it for 10 minutes. So I’ve had to be flexible and create room for him to bring it and coach him on being more responsible with his things.

Tennis

 

 

  1. Make It Fun

In order for me to want to get through my workout, it has to be somewhat enjoyable (I’m not one who naturally thinks exercise is FUN. I hear that those people do exist but I’m not one of them). So for ourselves and for our children we should engage in physical activity that gets us smiling and having a good time. I bought my daughter an ankle skip ball and I even enjoy that one. My 1st born is really into dancing these days so Zumba type workouts appeal to her. My 4th born LOVES sports so his idea of fun is to bring out 2 bikes, a soccer ball, tennis rackets, scooters, golf clubs and a basketball and of course he wants me to do all those activities with him.

Hoola Hoop

 

Skip Ball

 

 

 

  1. It’s A Family Affair

Invite them to join you during some of your exercise routines. Let them come up with an exercise of the week. Plan family bike rides, hikes, relay races, and more. I’ve even known some families to come up with Olympics style games. And if you can’t get around to planning a special outing, you can all just DANCE! Chances are you’ve got music on your smartphone. So play an upbeat song and get moving!

hold plank

Fit Kids

bike riding

By employing the above strategies you are well on your way to Raising Fit Kids. Your children will proactively participate in establishing good habits that will benefit them for a lifetime. They will #ChooseWell and honor their temples through proper nourishment, rest and exercise and will experience living fully. What a wonderful legacy you will impart to them that will benefit generations to come.

 

Exercise must be coupled with proper nutrition. CLICK HERE to read more on getting them to eat right.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with A Little R & R

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Who Else Wants To Get Fit?

A sucker punch in the face. That’s what happened as I read the words on the screen. For years I had believed I was doing my body good by being “active” until I came face to face with this starling truth, active and fit are not created equal.

 

I used to say that running around, playing with my children and running errands with my children was my health club membership. I believed I was getting enough exercise. Besides, I did workout from time to time albeit a brisk stroll on my treadmill and lifting 10 lb. weights every now and again.

 

Then a friend invited me to a fitness studio called Fit Like Me Divas. I had watched her metamorphosis, both internal and external as she committed to this new way of life. She invited me and when I could finally get childcare I decided to go.

 

Well initially, I thought, “These ladies are crazy”. “They are working way too hard and it doesn’t take all that.”  Though I had a great workout and pushed my body to perform things I never imagined possible, I was a bit annoyed that my hair was ruined because of all the sweating. Really?! Did it take all that?

 

Nonetheless, the next week, I was right back in there with trainer, Nevie Gray who it turns out isn’t crazy but determined to see women living up to their full potential. Not only was she guiding these ladies in how to get fit, she was guiding internal transformation as well.

 

After a few weeks of attending the Saturday bootycamp class, I received the blog post from Nevie Gray that collided with my foundational truth. My previously held belief that being active was enough was…well…not enough.

 

Being ACTIVE is engaging my body in physical activity i.e. playing with my children, standing while cooking, standing while helping children with their homework. Sure all that standing and movement could help me reach my fitbit goals but would that translate to being fit? And while my weight, stress test and cholesterol numbers may all be good by being active, I don’t want to feel my arms burning from carrying a few bags of groceries or get winded chasing my 2 year-old son or struggle to support the weight of my elderly grandmother.

 

Being FIT is pushing my body to achieve what it’s capable of performing in terms of strength, endurance, flexibility, speed and agility. As we can see, Active & Fit, the two are indeed NOT created equal.

 

I want my body to be able to perform at its peak ability. I can only get there by pushing myself, testing my limits and moving from the active zone to the fit zone. I was able to get into that zone with the PUSH from Nevie. She would say, “Get out of your head”. The head is the active zone. Then I’d be thrust into the fit zone where I felt strong, courageous, healthy and capable. When I operate in the fit zone, I almost feel lighter than air, like I’m walking on water. There is an extra bounce in my step.

 

Now let me back this train up just a bit here to address one more thing. I am no fitness buff. In fact, half the time, I’d rather write, read or clean than exercise. And my favorite forms of working out: African Dance class and Zumba aren’t a possibility with my family dynamic. Despite my schedule, childcare challenges or any other reason I can conjure up, I have a mandate to honor my temple.

 

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The way that I honor God with my body is by honoring my temple through proper nourishment, rest and exercise.

 

So who else wants to get fit?  If you want to move from the active zone to the fit zone here are a few things you can do:

 

~Get support by joining a fitness community. If you’re in the Metro Washington DC area please check out Fit Like Me Divas

 

~Schedule your exercise just like any other appointment

 

~Make your exercise count i.e. 30 minute treadmill run {active} vs. 30 minute high intensity internal training {fit}

 

~Properly fuel your body. Like any piece of fine machinery you have to properly fuel your body by eating food that is alive and unprocessed

 

~Carry weights, bands, kettle ball, or other equipment in your car and use them

 

What do you do to maintain a fit lifestyle? Please share your comments below.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired to Live Fully!

 

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