Part 3 of this blog series is dedicated to being more active, both on your own as a mom, and as a family! Getting some regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Just a few of the benefits of exercise are below:
- helps prevent disease
- helps you manage stress
- helps manage weight
- improves sleep
- builds muscle
- reduces the risk of anxiety and depression
Being a mom is an Olympic sport, and exercise isn’t just good for your health, it can help make the daily tasks you do everyday seem a little easier!
It is also really important to model physical activity for your kids. Research has shown that getting active as a family can improve family relationships, communication and child self-esteem. It can also lower loneliness and improve your child’s physical and mental health. Modeling physical activity early on can also help your child develop healthy habits as they grow. Additionally, getting your child active can reduce the amount of time they spend in front of a screen – double win!
How Much Activity Do You Need?
For adults, it is recommended to get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. Kids should get 60 minutes a day of activity. These goals can sound intimating, so if you’re just getting started, set a smaller goal and slowly work up to these numbers.
How to Get More Activity
One way we incorporate activity is by taking a quick walk as a family after dinner. We also try to go to the park once a week during the warmer months, or we spend time playing in the backyard with a sprinkler!
Here are some other great ways to get more activity with your children!
Getting more active is a journey- strive to make progress vs. focusing on perfection! Some weeks you may do great at keeping everyone active, and the next week may bring under the weather kiddos with lots of movie nights. Building healthier family habits takes time, but with some dedication and lots of grace for yourself you can get there!
How do you get your family moving? Let us know in the comments below!
References
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm
https://www.metroymcas.org/blog/2021/06/29/healthy-living/being-active-with-family/