GET FITWITH YOUR FAMILY 5 Easy Ways to Get Everyone Moving
2. Have a dance party. Clear some space in the living room, make a playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes, and boogie down for as long as you have the energy. 3. Turn chores into games. Dirt has invaded from outer space and must be eliminated. Set the scene with your kids, grab your tools, and get to work removing the enemy while having fun. 4. Incorporate simple exercises into screen time. Start by making up fun names for exercises like situps or jumping jacks. Then, challenge each other to see who can do the most during your favorite show’s commercial breaks. 5. Get fit in the great outdoors. Cleaning up the yard, planting and maintaining a garden, or just running around outside are all great ways to get in more movement.
One of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in your children is by modeling them yourself. Studies have found that more than 80% of adolescents and adults are not getting enough aerobic activity, showing that children often follow in their parents’ footsteps and that exercising together can benefit everyone. You may be thinking it’s hard enough just to get yourself to the gym, but Stephen Virgilio, author of “Active Start for Healthy Kids,” encourages parents not to limit themselves to traditional forms of exercise. Instead, think of exercise more broadly as “leading an active lifestyle.” And remember that exercise can be fun and a great way to get in more family time.
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As a parent, you probably know exercise is important for your children’s physical development. It helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints and reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other diseases later in life. But did you know that physical activity also has many mental and behavioral health benefits? It’s been shown to improve children’s cognitive skills and concentration, boost their self-esteem, and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Here are five easy ways to incorporate more movement into your family’s day.
1. Create a walking ritual. Start walking
around the neighborhood before or after dinner each night. Aim for a 20-minute stroll.
JUST A FEW OF THE MANY BENEFITS
Most forms of exercise don’t warrant their own holiday. Bicycling, however, gets the entire month of May. That’s right, this month is National Bike Month, and to observe this monthlong cycling celebration, we thought we would share some of the greatest benefits of biking or cycling. Whether you’re new to pedaling around town or you’re a seasoned cyclist, we hope you enjoy them. GREAT FOR BEGINNER EXERCISERS Unlike a lot of other sports or means of exercise, biking doesn’t strain beginners to the point that it’s unenjoyable. You don’t need high levels of physical skill. Once you learn how to ride a bike, you’re off to the trails. And the best part? You never forget how to ride! LOWER IMPACT ON MUSCLES If you want to exercise regularly while conserving your joints, biking might be your exercise of choice. While running or jogging are also great for your cardiovascular health, they can be rough on your knees and ankles. With biking, you get all the cardio benefits with none of the joint drawbacks. LESS STRESS According to a 2018 study in a psychiatry journal that surveyed over 1 million people, cycling is one of the top stress relieving physical activities. On average, cyclists experience 21.6 fewer days of poor mental health per year than those who don’t ride their bike. OF BIKING REGULARLY
LONGER LIFE Another study found that people who ditch their car in favor of their bicycle to commute to work live an estimated 3–14 months longer than those who don’t. Yet another study found that riding a bike for 60 minutes a week decreased a person’s risk of early death by up to 23%. This list is far from exhaustive, but should give you more than enough reasons to dust off that old road bike in your garage and take it out for a spin. For help with any pain you might feel while riding or tips on improving your form, give Campus Commons PT a call at 916-927-1333.
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2
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