It’s just a fact of life that most of us need more exercise than we get. Most of us see it as a “have to” rather than a privilege to be able to move our bodies and go about most of the activities that we want to each day.
Just for today, enjoy your family, enjoy life, and enjoy your body. Gather the kids around you and play a game of tag. Inside or out, be as creative as you’d like but get up and move.
Combining exercise with the things we love most gives us an added benefit. Not only do we get the endorphins from the exercise but we add other elements that increase our happiness. It’s a double bonus.
Most adults know that we need 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week, but do we also think about the increased needs for our children. The American Cancer Society recommends 1 hour a day 5 days a week for children in an effort to fight off adult diseases. So, a rousing game of tag is not only good for you, it’s good for your whole family. Plus, if we’re up and moving and playing with the children, the TV and computer are off. The Gameboys and Ipods are put away and your family gets a reinforcement that you care about them. Everybody wins.
Families who play together are more like to have children who remain physically active as they get older. As parents we can encourage physical activities for our children, but the best teacher is our example. We need to learn to be physically active role models, plan family activities as well as talk about why we value our bodies and exercise.
I suggest tag because everyone can play and it involves running. Studies have proven a link between running and a person’s ability to problem solve and deal with stress. It has also been studied as a way to help children with ADHD.
The Complete Book of Running for Women: Everything You Need to Know about Training, Nutrition, Injury Prevention, Motivation, Racing and Much, Much More by Claire Kowalchik lists the following benefits of running:
Lower heart rate and blood pressure
Lower risk of heart disease, stroke, breast and colon cancer
Enhanced immune system
Prevent and manage diabetes
Reduce bone and muscle loss
Enhanced respiratory function
Reduced PMS and menopause symptoms
Healthy joints
Keeps you mentally healthy and improves your reaction time, and
Increases your lifespan
Strangely enough, most of this could also be said about spending time with your children!
Oh, and another little side note: couples who engage in physical exercise together usually report greater sexual satisfaction as well. You feel happy and energized…. Need I say more?
Ok, what if you really don’t like tag, or don’t have enough running space in the middle of winter? Improvise! My family’s favorite playtime activity happens to be rousing wrestling matches- us against daddy. He usually wins.
The important components here are happy activity with your family. So go play!
Related Articles:
Friday Fitness: The Psychological Benefits of Exercise