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Sonoma Family Life Magazine

Get UP and GO in the New Year!

This year make regular exercise a priority now and for a lifetime.  There’s strength in numbers when it comes to getting fit, especially if it is your family you are exercising with.  “What you tell your kids to do is like a whisper, but what you actually do is like a scream,” says Selene Yeager author of Perfectly Fit. “When you make fitness a fun part of kids’ everyday lives, they’ll be more likely to exercise when they’re grown.” That  could be your greatest gift to them. Here are a few great ways to have fun and get fit with the most important people in your life: your family.


Get kids to think out of the X-Box

After school or work, say “game over” to the screens.  Go for a  family walk or bike ride. Shoot hoops in the driveway.

More than team

“Team sports are great, but very few people carry them into adulthood,” says Yeager. Introduce your child to activities that she can do all her life as well:  hiking, bicycling, swimming, running and ice skating.

Scout for activities

Look for local events that involve moving. Pack a picnic and go for a hike. Trade an evening at the movies for an outing at the bowling alley.

An element of charity

It feels good to raise money for a worthy cause, and gives you the opportunity to teach your children about the importance of giving to others.

Make a plan

Go ahead. Put exercise on your schedule. If you see it, there is a better chance you will follow through.

Find five minutes and start small

A five-minute walk around the block can easily turn into a 30 minute walk. You have to start somewhere.

Be an active watcher

When you watch TV, do some ball-crunches, yoga poses, squats, or pushups Ditch the remote.

Motivate with money

It might help you show up. Sign up for a yoga workshop or even a race or other event you’ll have to train for. How about a few dance lessons?

Be a hot date

Take your date on a hike, a bike ride or kick a soccer ball around the park.

Socialize on the move

Instead of spending time on the phone or e-mailing, catch up on the latest news during a quick walk  or over a leisurely bike ride.

Hit ‘play’

Exercise DVDs allow you to stop and start your workouts as necessary even during laundry and cleaning.

Work it in

Get creative. While picking up do squats instead of bending at the waist, and calf raises when standing at the counter or stove.

Be yourself

What do you like to do?  Find a routine that suits you. If you enjoy your workout it’s  more likely you will squeeze it into your busy schedule.