How to Make Family Fitness Easy

1:15 AM Weight Loss Trainer 0 Comments

Losing weight as a family is beneficial in more ways than one. Aside from collectively losing weight, families who make lifestyle changes together are more likely to keep the changes, spend more time together, regain their health and learn together. Make family fitness easy with small changes and build on them as you go.

How to Start a Family Fitness Program

If you want to initiate change in your family to help them lose weight but don't know where to start, these lifestyle changes for healthy weight loss can help.

Analyze the Family's Current Habits

Take a look at the family's current habits that could easily be changed. Do you rely on fast food to get you through busy nights? Do you spend more time watching movies than doing physical activities? Does family time center around food instead of spending quality time with one another? Try cutting back on sweets, limiting portion sizes, packing lunches, cooking at home most nights of the week, kicking the soda habit, reducing the time spend in front of the TV and computer, take a nightly walk, join a gym, etc. Your family doesn't have to tackle all of these at once, but focus on several things you and your family can do to initial positive change. Take baby steps towards your making change.

Set Short and Long Term Family Goals

The main goal for your family might be to lose weight. Your long term goal needs to be broken down into smaller, manageable chunks, though. Instead of vowing to lose a certain number of pounds, commit to walking every day for 30 minutes or drinking water instead of soda and other sugary drinks.

Exercise as a Family to Lose Weight

Try changing family board game night into family activity night. Find new ways to get everyone active together. It can be anything from playing ball during open gym time to cross country skiing or geocaching. The activity isn't as important as just getting out and exerting energy.

Create a Family Fitness Challenge

A fitness challenge is a great way to build on the daily exercise routine. Motivate the family by charting your progress. Track steps taken, miles walked or ridden or pounds lost. As the family reaches its small fitness goals you can work towards bigger fitness goals like 5K walks, riding your bikes together to a certain destination or any activity that motivates you to push a little harder.

Family fitness and weight loss are possible if you take baby steps to get there.

Start off with small, achievable goals. Don't set your family up for failure by trying to do too much too fast. It isn't realistic to start out running or to expect to see instant results. Instead, make small positive lifestyle changes that add up over time. Make family fitness fun so everyone enjoys it and sticks with it.