Family Fitness Fun - Keep Fit & Healthy & Have Fun With Your Family!

     When you make time for fitness, you find the effort more than worthwhile. Not only does your physical appearance improve when you shed those unwanted pounds, you also feel more energetic and more enthusiastic about life. So grab your family and hit the desk with these fitness ideas.

Get everyone in your family involved in monthly fitness activity planning. If you don't take time to make time, it is unlikely that it will happen, or at least it will be less likely. Find out when each family member is free and schedule a biking trip to a local park for a picnic, for example. Or get on the zoo's mailing list and attend one of their functions outdoors. Get on mailing lists for your local YMCA, Recreation Center and other activity centers, too, and participate in their activities.

Fitness includes healthy eating, so involve each family member in this, too. Get cookbooks from the library and make copies of recipes to experiment with, asking everyone to share in the planning. Try not only regional and popular dishes but also foreign recipes to add some spice in your life. Then take turns cooking and cleaning up.

Learn low-fat meal preparation methods from books and helpful magazine and online articles. Adapt them to suit the needs of your family.

Try fun fitness activities together like square dancing, joga, climbing, karate. See what's available at your gym or Jazzercise center and sign up for a trial.

Beverage choices are important. So look into investing in a water filter for your kitchen to avoid spending so much on bottled water. Save sugary soda for Friday fun night.

Take care of your health and teach your other family members to do the same: brushing teeth, gums and tongue after each meal and snack; washing hands regularly to get rid of unwanted germs; using sunscreen for outdoor activities; using good lighting for better eye care; and more.

Ask your family doctor about vitamins and mineral supplements for everyone.

Call local hotels to see about using their pool for family fun. Many places offer day, monthly or other rates for nearby residents.

You could also plan fitness activities with your neighbors. There are plenty of National Parks for camping where you can even rent Tee Pees and small cabins. Plan an outing together and hike, fish, enjoy the beach, swim, ski, go kayaking or canoeing; in short - enjoy the great outdoors.

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