Family Exercise Time

www.BeFitNOLA.com
Over and over again, I hear how busy moms (and dads) are – and how difficult it is to try to fit in some time to exercise. It occurred to me that there IS time. . .you just need to see it. Here are three opportunities our peer group has identified:

First, if your child(ren) is(are) on the after-school-activity circuit…soccer, t-ball, baseball, dance class, etc…you may constantly be on the road. “I feel like all I am is a taxi cab” seems to be a common comment. I say, “That’s perfect! What a great opportunity to exercise yourself!”

If you have an hour with nothing to do but wait for your child’s activity to be over…DO SOMETHING WITH IT. Our children go to Tumblebus once a week – which is a great program that builds self-confidence and enhances physical and motor development in children. It’s a gym on wheels with bars, beam, vault, ropes, rings, zip line and monkey bars inside (for children ages 2-10; for more information call 985-725-0143 or email thetumblebus@bellsouth.net).

During that hour, parents must stay on site – so, a few of us decided to jog around the parking lot and up the local street. We’ve turned an hour of sitting in our cars doing nothing into a 30-minute cardio session followed by a round of push-ups. Kids exercise; moms exercise.


Another great “family time” option is just going for a walk around your neighborhood. Bring the dog, have the kids ride a bike, skip, jump rope, bounce a ball, tell a story about every green thing they see…whatever it takes, just walk out the front door.

The last idea came from a former colleague of mine who moved to New Orleans from up North. He was so excited to have a swimming pool he could use most days of the year. Every night after work and school, he and his daughters would hop in the pool for 30-45 minutes of swimming time. He would do laps while they played and talked. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool – go for it! Make it a habit and embrace these hot summers with a cold splash.