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January 02, 2015 - 7:33 PM
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Improving fitness may be one of the top resolutions made each year, and why not? With the promise of increased lifespan and improved quality of life, it just makes sense.
Among adults, roughly 62 per cent of men and 45 per cent of women are classified as overweight or obese in Canada. Participaction has some tips for achieving fitness goals and part of that is making fitness a family affair.
1. Make exercise a form of play. Remember when you were a kid and you moved because you were doing something you loved? If you dread the idea of spending time on a treadmill in a room full of strangers, find the activity that makes you happy. Better yet, find an activity that your family will want to participate in and you're more likely to follow through. Many kids would benefit from less time at stationary activities such as playing video games or sitting in front of the television. There are added advantages to active play such as increased imagination and emotional and social benefits as well.
2. Park the car a greater distance away from where you're going. So long as you don't plan to purchase a hard-to-carry item, why not park your car a little further from the store than usual? Your effort would leave a spot open for someone who truly needs it and you'll earn a few extra steps toward your fitness goal.
3. Build exercise into social gatherings. It's nice to meet friends for dinner or to go out and see a movie from time to time, but why not organize activities that require motion? Go bowling, walk the mall or plan a sight-seeing adventure that requires hiking.
4. Get some sleep. It's one of those things that snowballs. Lack of sleep can make one feel too tired for exercise, and lack of exercise can interfere with normal sleep patterns. Sleep deprivation can also increase cravings for simple carbohydrates such as cookies as the brain seeks sugar to function, and too many carbohydrates with too little exercise can pack on pounds.
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