Here is our last edition of Dear Heather for December. I had several notes in the last week or so and more than a couple of them were pretty much the same. Three parents were concerned about their children who were more interested in their Game Boys, Playstations and more than they were in physical activity.
My Daughter Refuses to Be Active
Dear Heather,
I’m worried about my daughter. She’s four, but she doesn’t like to get involved in any real activities. She likes to play video games and she’s good at them. If it’s not on her Game Boy or other game system, she’s just not interested. We have tried to get her enrolled in gymnastics classes and dance classes and other sports. She just won’t do it. She’s not overweight, but I worry that without any real activity she’s going to have this kind of problem. What can we do?
– Melanie Wortham
Dear Melanie,
I understand how you feel. I worry about my nephew as well because he prefers video games to most other forms of activity, but you just have to work with your kids to make things more interesting for them. For example, there are fitness games that you can put out there for them including things like Dance, Dance Revolution and more. You can also put limitations on their game play by saying for every hour they play, then they need to spend an hour doing something with you.
Our kids like it when we get active with them or when they have others to play with. Sometimes, I think we forget what it was like when we ourselves were children and it was safe to just go outside and run around, riding our bikes and playing in the park with our friends. Consider getting your daughter into a playgroup two or three times a week with kids her own age and you may see a great transformation in their attitudes. As for the video games, if you limit their access, they’ll find other ways to entertain themselves and that may get them more active. Good luck and I’d love to hear how you are both doing!
Is It Better to Work out at Home or in a Gym?
Dear Heather,
I want to get more fit with the New Year. I want to make it my resolution to get in better shape and to tone up. I know I need to lose some weight, but I’m hoping that happens just as a matter of course if I start exercising regularly. So what I need to know is should I do my work out at home or should I join a gym? What would be better?
– Mark Reynolds
Dear Mark,
Congratulations on making the decision to make fitness a priority in your life. As for what would be better, it really is a decision that is up to you. If you can motivate yourself and you have the equipment to perform your workouts at home, then working out there is more than adequate. If you don’t have access to the equipment or the wherewithal at home, you can join a fitness club. But the trick is to identify what is the best to meet your needs and your personality. I’ve known people who joined fitness clubs and who were not successful because they didn’t like the idea of working out at a club and in front of others.
If you need someone to help you build a fitness program, but you’d rather do it yourself at home. Consider signing up with a personal trainer for a few weeks to build your fitness program and then go from there. You may periodically check in with the trainer, say once every 12 to 16 weeks to adjust your fitness program accordingly. Good luck with your fitness program and I look forward to hearing from you on how you are doing!
That wraps up the last Dear Heather for December and for 2006! I look forward to answering more of your questions and your concerns in 2007!
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