March 29, 2024

What fitness example do you set?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Encourage fitness by setting a healthy example!

Youngsters hear and see everything. Even when you think they aren’t paying attention, they are! If you pull on your jeans and grimace. If you complain how much you ate and now you “feel so fat”. If you are on the tennis court and whine how bad you are, can’t do anything right, or are so out of shape, you are setting an example. They look up to you, they think you are strong and capable. You’re the grown ups, after all. Set a strong, balanced, and empowered example of healthy living and smart fitness choices by using positive words and taking positive actions.

 

 

Start a Fitness Tradition

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Start a tradition… of fitness!

Pick one day or one special occasion and initiate a fitness tradition. Begin with friends and family, and then invite neighbors, coworkers, and others from there. Perhaps a 2 mile walk on a designated route or time, or a 4 mile bike ride to a special destination, or maybe a 2 mile hike to an inspiring look out or peak. Let your imagination go and see where it takes you!

To get started:

Designate the same day each year. Planning your fitness tradition to happen on a holiday, or particular day each year, allows others time to plan to take part.

Follow a designated mileage or duration. A set goal or miles or duration allows everyone to train and prepare for your tradition.

Include the FUN. Add music, fun costumes, special invited guests or snacks! The sky is the limit.

Choose a person or cause to honor with your tradition. Honoring a special cause or person gives the tradition value and purpose.

 

 

Burpees: Love to Hate Them?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Try Burpees for high-energy cardio fitness!

Consider adding burpee intervals into your fitness routine for a cardio-burst and total body challenge. Simply mention the word, burpee, and you’re sure to be greeted with a few moans and groans. However, here’s the bottom line: They work for cardio conditioning and strength building for just about every muscle. There are many variations and modifications. Here’s how to begin:

Begin standing. Squat down and place both hands flat on the floor in front of your body. Kick or step out both legs behind you into a pushup position. Perform one pushup. Hop or step both feet in to a squat position. Immediately jump straight up with both arms overhead, and with both feet up off the floor or stand up straight to complete one rep.

 

*Consult a physician before performing exercise.

Have FUN with your Fitness!

Does your fitness need a little FUN? Fun fitness means you’re more likely to log consistent workouts. Consistent workouts means results! So if you’re wandering through your workout on auto-pilot with little enthusiasm, it’s time to change up your approach. Motivation is waiting for you every Monday!

Pick up exercise tips, gear ideas and motivation solutions while chatting with others every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat on Twitter!

Here’s how to join:

Log into your twitter account. Enter #HealthyWayMag to see the chat feed. You’ll see questions for discussion posed as Q1 for Question 1, Q2 for Question 2 and so on. Participate by offering your Answer to Question 1 by noting A1 and so on. Tag your responses with #HealthyWayMag to interact with others. Chat with others and have fun!

 

Monday March 7, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat is sponsored by Flip2BFit:

Fitness is more fun with friends and family joining in! Adding physical activity into your day and family time is as easy as a roll of the dice or flip of a card with Flip2BFit! Playing board games, you’ll be teaching your kids about cardio, yoga and strength exercises…all while having fun and setting up healthy behaviors for a lifetime. Check out their YouTube channel to learn more about their award winning products, FITNESS-IN-A-BOX Board Game and BAKARI-Fitness Memory Card Game. Be sure to follow them on Twitter @Flip2BFit to receive all updates. Their games may also be purchased on Amazon and ToysRUs. Makes a great gift for teachers, sports clubs and parent/child organizations!

Make Family Fitness a Reality by Maggie Ayre

The latest research suggests that exercise is hugely beneficial for kids of all ages. In addition to health benefits we also see active children sleeping better, participating more and concentrating easier in class, as well as enjoying the benefits of additional self-confidence and raised self-esteem. Young people who lead active lives are likely to have more friends and enjoy a better body-image and body-awareness. They are likely to feel happier and more fulfilled and feel better able to cope with what life throws at them. Try the following approach for successfully instilling healthy habits:

Open Discussion. The best way to talk to your child about living healthily is to find a quiet relaxed time, perhaps out on a walk, and bring it slowly into the conversation. Ask your child what they know about living healthily and what it means to them. Ask your child how exercise makes them feel and if they have any particular activities they enjoy. Suggest ways you can incorporate these activities in their life and make suggestions for other activities based on what they particularly enjoy. Keep things relevant to the benefits they can experience now such as drinking more water for a better complexion, eating fruit and vegetables to feel better. Try not to concentrate on future health benefits as these have little relevance to children who want results now.

Family Time. One of the best ways to start being active as a family is through computer games such as the wii fit. Start slowly and keep it fun. Once your children are used to being active as a family, suggest bicycle rides to the park, walks that include a picnic, trips to the beach or swimming pool etc. You can be active around your house by having a race to see who can tidy their bedroom the quickest, or who can get dressed/un-dressed quickest, or by getting one member of the family to set a treasure hunt or obstacle course for the rest of the family to follow.

Prepare Healthful Snacks. As children get older it becomes harder to ensure their healthy food choices especially as you’re no longer with them all the time. The best way to ensure they eat healthily is to talk to them regularly about the benefits of eating healthy foods and why other foods may not be the best choice – healthy eating will ensure they have more energy, less mood swings, less illness, sleep better etc. This has to be backed up by being a good role model and ensuring that you enjoy a healthy diet too. Most teenagers will still look to their parent’s example before following what their friends and peers are doing. For many children the biggest time for slip-ups is coming home from school when a trip to the convenience store is just too tempting – help your child by ensuring they have a healthy snack in their bag to eat on their way home or let them know there will be something tasty waiting for them when they arrive home.

Maggie Ayre
Fitness Coach for Teenage Girls
www.maggieayre.com. www.seabreezefitness.co.uk
 
Maggie is also the author of the 3G Program for Teenage Girls, www.femalefitnessrevolution.com