How to Get Moving as a Family (and Foster Good Nutrition)

It’s finally time to turn the page on 2020! After a year full of uncertainty for all, let’s start 2021 off on a great foot. And what better way to do so than with the start of National Family Fit Lifestyle Month, a time for families to come together and work towards adopting new healthy habits and reaching healthy goals the entire month of January (and beyond!).

From cooking nutritious meals as a family to getting outside to participate in fun physical activities, there are many opportunities for families to try new things and motivate one another to make healthy choices during National Family Fit Lifestyle Month. To get this special month (and new year) started, two important things make up the “family fit lifestyle”: physical activity and nutrition!

5 Ways to Get Your Family Moving More

With the start of a New Year, “exercise more” always seems to be at the top of everyone’s New Year to-do list. Physical activity is key to overall health and wellness. The CDC recommends a minimum of 2.5 hours per week of exercise for adults and 1 hour per day for children. However, getting more physically active doesn’t have to be a challenge, or even feel like exercise! As a family, try making small additions to your daily routine to get more active.

To get you started, here are 5 ways to get your family moving more:

Take more walks. Walking is an activity that is simple, fun, and something the whole family can enjoy! Taking daily brisk walks helps improve your fitness, cardiac health, and is a great mood booster. Try walking around your neighborhood, in a local park, or make up your own walking trail.

Enjoy family bike rides. Bike riding is a perfect after dinner or weekend activity. Similar to walking, take a bike ride around your neighborhood. Remember, safety first. Always wear a helmet and be aware of your surroundings.

Visit your favorite park. Parks are a great place to get outside and be active. From playgrounds to jungle gyms to nature trails, there is something for everyone to enjoy! Simply being active in the outdoors improves your physical health along with your mental health. Try making a quick park visit a part of your family’s routine.

Play physical games. Believe it or not, there is an endless number of physical games that require little to no equipment, meaning you can play them anywhere! For example, tag, Frisbee, jump rope, basketball, relay races, kickball, softball, Four Square, tennis are all perfect games that get the whole family together and moving.

Swap family movie night for a family fitness night. Reinvent your family movie night! Instead of movies, play beginner fitness videos and try doing the exercises together. As for the movie snacks, try nutritious options like cut-up vegetables and hummus, sliced fruit skewers, and lots of water.

5 Tips for Fostering Nutritious Family Meals

Following “exercise more”, the next item on the New Year To-Do list is always “eat better”. Nutrition is an important component of healthy living, especially for families with growing children. However, for many busy families, organizing, planning, and preparing nutritious meals for mealtime can be a challenge. From chaotic schedules to after school activities, it can seem impossible to manage fitting in a family meal that is both delicious and nutritious.

To help make the impossible seem possible, here are 5 tips for fostering nutritious family meals:

Set realistic goals. It may be challenging to sit down for a family meal every day, or night and that is totally OK! Start with setting a manageable goal for your family and then begin to slowly add in one more family meal per week. As this becomes easier, add on another family meal!

Add the rainbow to your plate.Make fruits and vegetables the star of your dinner table! To add more colors to your dinner plate, try letting each family member pick out a new fruit or vegetable to try each week. No matter if they are fresh, frozen, canned, or dried, they all count and are great choices!

Get everyone involved in the cooking. When preparing for mealtime, give every family member a job to do before, during, and after the meal. This will not only make preparing a meal less stressful but also makes family meals more fun and valuable for all!

Limit the distractions. Make it a table rule to turn off all phones, television, and other electronic devices until family mealtime is over. This allows for more conversation and quality family time at the dinner table.

Give your pantry a makeover. With the New Year upon us, it’s time for a pantry clean out! Stock up on nutritious pantry staples like dried beans or lentils, whole grain pasta, low sodium vegetable broth, and unsweetened plant milks to give your pantry a new healthy look. If your cabinets are filled with the right staple ingredients, it will be much easier to make healthy meals.

Start your family’s New Year off right by participating in National Family Fit Lifestyle Month. Whether you incorporate more nutritious meals or participate in a new kind of physical activity- the options are endless this month! No matter what, let’s make this month, and every month, about being healthier and stronger as a family.

Your Turn to Take Action: How will your family get involved during National Family Fit Lifestyle Month? Let me know in the comments below.