No more excuses. The weather is perfect, the days are longer, and Spring is underway. What are you and your family doing to get some exercise?
Your options will depend on the ages of your children. With a very young child your choices are more limited, but you still have some good alternatives:
• Look into a mom-and-baby exercise class. Local options are Busy Bees Studio and Gymboree, as well as Tricks and other kid gyms
• If you want more of a workout, with your baby along for the ride, join one of the stroller fitness groups. There are several to choose from around the greater Sacramento area, including Fit4Mom and Baby Boot Camp
• If a solo workout is more to your liking, be creative and figure out two or three blocks of time during the week to jog or take a quick trip to the gym. Or grab a co-worker for a regular power walk at lunch, to keep you company and hold you accountable.
If your child is around preschool age:
• Let him ride a trike (or bike) while you walk or run to keep up; this will give you a great workout!
• Go on nature walks or short hikes together, or visit local attractions like the zoo where there’s lots of ground to cover
• Find a child seat for your bike, and let your child enjoy the scenery while you work up a sweat
If your child is school aged, making time to get out and exercise together can be the biggest challenge;
• Get in the habit of taking a family walk after dinner, or regularly visiting a neighborhood park
• Make exercise into an outing; find hikes with waterfalls or interesting scenery, to hold your child’s interest, and bring a picnic
• Set aside a little time over the weekend to do some type of outdoor activity as a family, whether playing in the back yard or going rollerblading
The main thing is to teach children the value (and fun!) of exercise at an early age, so they grow up enjoying physical activity and wanting it to be a part of their lives. Besides, bathing suit season is just around the corner… what better time to set a good example by exercising?
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