a healthier family

I was contacted by a fellow blog member, Carolyn, and was asked if I would share her passion on my blog.  After talking with Carolyn, about her passion to reach out to families and teach them how to be healthier together, I couldn't pass up this opportunity to share with you all her knowledge on how to be a healthier family.

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Becoming Healthier as an Entire Family

Now is about the time when many people begin “slacking off” with their healthy resolutions (believe me, I am including myself in this!). It’s easy to slack off when there is little to no motivation to keep you going.

Living healthy takes a lot of work and this can be difficult if you need to care for your family, grab quick meals and work a full-time job just to support everyone. With March being National Nutrition Month, it’s a great time to think about getting back to living healthier so that your well-being is top priority in your life all year long. Even though the New Year is no longer new, this does not mean that you cannot make healthy and lifelong changes right now!

Getting fit, active and healthy can be something you do with the whole family. When everyone is looking to become healthier, it can actually make things a lot easier for. You will be able to cook healthier meals and snacks without having to cook different things for each person in the family. You will also be able to have a workout buddy every single day so that you are constantly kept motivated. Healthy living is just not fun when the rest of your family is living unhealthy lives. And with obesity rates continuously on the rise, there’s no better time than now to get on the right track to healthy living!

Getting Active

Getting more active as a family can actually be a lot of fun. Exercise is also more motivating when you're doing it with another person, whether that person is your spouse or your children. Setting up a workout plan and schedule can help keep things organized, but try to focus more on incorporating more active things into each day that will also promote.

Running

Running can be done in your local park or just around your neighborhood. When done as a family, you will find that it is more motivating to keep up at a steady pace and to really get your heart pumping.

Yoga

Yoga is quickly becoming one of the most popular exercises out there. You can either watch a yoga DVD at home with the family or you can join a local class. Whatever you choose, your family is sure to reap some awesome benefits. According to doctors from St. Joseph’s Orthopedic Center, yoga has a multitude of benefits including increase strength, flexibility, balance, posture, and even the ability to regulate stress and emotions!

Walking

Walking is a great activity for the whole family because of its low-impact qualities. Just go walking after dinner each night and you will find that this is a habit that you develop quickly. You can even walk the dogs as a family instead of always letting them out in the backyard.

Hiking

Hiking can be a fun activity to do with your entire family. Hiking up mountains and rocks can be a lot of fun, but make sure that you find a trail locally so that you are motivated to actually go. If the hiking trail is an hour away, it becomes more of a trek and you might not want to go as often.

Play Sports

There is nothing more engaging for you and your kids than to play sports. You might want to play baseball in the backyard or do soccer on a local field. Whatever sport you choose, make sure that everyone is willing to join in on the fun!

Dance Often

Dancing is a great exercise because it really helps to get the body moving. When you dance as a family, you will find that it helps everyone to bond closer and to encourage a lot of fun memories. Whether you dance in your living room at random and spontaneous moments, or you join a dancing class, you will find that this is one workout that you will definitely enjoy together.

Keeping Up the Energy – Yummy Snacks

Keeping up your energy and the energy of your loved ones is important when it comes to exercising. Whether you're about to shoot hoops in a local court or you're planning on a hike for the afternoon, you need to fuel the body with the right types of snacks. Before exercising, make it a habit to encourage everyone in the family to eat a delicious protein-packed snack.

One snack in particular that is great for fueling bodies before a workout would be peanut butter and bananas. You can either make a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain toast or you might just want to mash these two ingredients together in a blender with some ice and unsweetened almond milk. The protein and potassium from both of these foods is enough to keep the body energized for hours of exercise.

In order to be healthier as a family, you need to make it a habit to exercise together and eat well. Cook healthier and more natural meals together and make it a hobby to go walking every night after supper. By incorporating these habits into your everyday life, you will find that the whole family benefits from it!

Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/!