Chef

By Erika Johnstone

Edited by Andi Champion, CHEF

Staying Fit from Home

Staying active has many benefits to the body. Exercising can lower a person’s risk of developing diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Exercising also gives you endorphins which can make you feel happier and stronger. With more families staying home due to the COVID- 19, finding ways to stay active from home an important aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

As a parent, it may be hard to find the time to exercise. It may help if you make exercise part of your family’s nightly routine. Visit your local park to walk for 45 minutes a few times a week or enjoy the great outdoors with your family by taking your pet on a walk around the neighborhood. Is there a school or community center nearby with a basketball hoop or track? Challenge your family to a game or a race!

Online workout videos are also a great way to stay active from home. Many workout videos don’t require an extra equipment but if you do need weights you can get creative and use items around the house such as canned goods or water bottles as weights.

If structured fitness is not fun for you, try setting small goals such as trying to walk around the house or do crunches during television commercials, dance your way through chores such as mopping or sweeping, or take up gardening! These activities may not seem like much but they will add up during the week!

If you are having trouble finding the motivation to exercise, the best way is to get the family involved! Remember, fitness does not always have to be a planned activity.

Family Time = Fitness Time

Here are some activities to stay fit with your family.

• Take a walk around the neighborhood or a nearby park with the family.
• Have a dance party with the kids!
• Make chores into fun games! Create a competition on how can finish chores the fastest!
• Find family-friendly workout videos online. Toddlers and babies can make excellent gym weights.

References

https://www.thehealthy.com/exercise/chore-workouts/ (link to add above)

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