Fitness: How to Make Winter Fitness into Family Fun Time

#gno information! • family fun • activities

by Jamie Moesser on March 16th, 2012 | No Comments »

How are you doing on your physical fitness New Years' Resolutions? The middle of March finds some women training for marathons and others waylaid by the winter blues. No matter where you are on that spectrum, it's a good time to either assess the progress you've made towards your 2012 goals, or re-set them, with perhaps more realism or moderation than you started out with. Whatever you do, you're more likely to achieve success if you make it fun and do it with family.

That was the consensus, at least, among tweeters at a MomItForward Twitter Girls' Night Out just after the New Year. Sponsored by Together Counts, a nationwide program inspiring families to live healthier and more actively, it was a party of support and fun as tweeters shared recipes and tips that have worked for them.

Top 10 Tweet Tips for Staying in Shape During the Winter

Pick a different body area or life area to work on each month, and then blog about your journey. @ScrappinMichelle did this, labeling the whole thing "Project Balance," and talks about her progress at ScrapsOfMyGeekLife.com.
Start or join a running group.@GGretchko says: "Group runs are motivating. I learn a lot from others." If you need help finding or starting one, go to Meetup.com and search for running groups or clubs.
Keep an eye out for diaper dashes and kiddie races that are often free when attached to races. @Bodhi_Bear says her running club does this.
Try balance boarding while working at home. @DarrenLister says it's "awesome" and @JennSutherland says it's her favorite way to pass time on conference calls.
Only weigh yourself once a week, on the same day. "If you do it more often," says @CountryPoohBear, "you'll get discouraged."
Add a little bit of fresh ginger to your family's smoothies, advises @Jenn Sutherland. Ginger tastes great and is a terrific source of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system;magnesium, which helps keep blood pressure normal, bones strong, and the heart rhythm steady; and potassium, which reduces high blood pressure, maintains muscle strength, and reduces anxiety and stress.
Get an Xbox 360 with Kinect. While some may scoff at this as a way to stay in shape, it was a surprisingly hot topic during this Twitter party. Games like Kinect Sports Season 2 and Michael Jackson: The Experience were the favorites.
Hide the veggies in really good tasting stuff. We've talked about this before, but it bears repeating because of its effectiveness. @Byrdy1999 recommends "anything out of the Jessica Seinfield's Deceptively Delicious cookbook...she can really hide her veggies...yum!"
Try Peasant Salad. @ForestofWishes says it's her family's new go-to recipe. "It's so healthy, hearty, and we all love it!" She also recommends Potato Leek Soup. If you want to add creaminess, try slow-cooking it and adding a bit of milk.
Add quinoa to just about any soup, recommends @AwakeCreativity. Quinoa is high in fiber and protein.

If you do whatever you're going to do to get or stay in shape with your family, your chances of success are higher. As @GFaccenetti says: "Anytime we can get out and have fun together accomplishes two things at once: family time and exercise."