Exercise is beneficial for everyone no matter what your age.  But, sometimes just the word makes you want to hide.  Exercise doesn’t have to seem like work if you involve others.  Here are five fitness ideas for you to get the family into healthier habits and a little boost in the right direction.

A family workout has many benefits.  First of all, you have each other for accountability.  When one person wants to slack off, their loving family members can help them see the light.  Secondly, you have a buddy to push you to do your best.  It is a friendly competition that can help you achieve fitness goals you never thought possible.

1.  Backyard sports – it’s probably been a long time since you played a game of dodge ball or kick ball.  Now’s your chance.  Get the family together and start a game on the weekends.  This type of stop and start movement gets the heart rate up and works the muscles.  Other ideas include basketball game, softball game or volleyball.  Consider getting another family involved and hold little tournaments.

2.  Take a class together – for example, martial arts centers have programs from youth to adult.  Each person can learn skills and then practise them together.  Aerobics classes are another idea for a family exercise session.  The guys in the family may not feel co-ordinated enough to do a step aerobics class but there’s always spinning, swimming or kickboxing classes to choose from at your local YMCA, the gym or through your parks and rec.

3.  Enjoy nature – families feed off of each other’s confidence.  If one person can do it, the others want to try to do it also.  Go for a family hike.  Parks have some beautiful trails that range from easy to more challenging.  Outfit your family with the proper gear and learn about nature together.  Along the same lines as hiking is mountain climbing.  There are trails here too.  Help each other climb the rocks and take in some breathtaking views.  Both activities work your heart, lungs and lower body.  Even on a cool fall day you will feel the burn and the cleansing sweat of a good workout.  Best of all this option is 100% free.

4.  Do yard work – no one wants to choose outside work but if you do it together it can be fun and heart pumping.  Take turns mowing a section of the yard.  Pushing a lawnmower works the upper and lower body.  Rake leaves in the fall.  For more fun, jump into the big pile and then let everyone help rake them up again.

5. Play a video game – video games have become more athletic and virtual these days.  The Wii game console has really gotten my family moving and competing.   Using the Wii Fit Plus & board or the regular games, your family will have plenty of laughs and even more exercise as they move to make the characters move in the games. I know I get tired from playing the boxing.

Who says family workouts have to be boring?  Get together as a family and do something that you love to stay healthy.

When life gets in the way we always seem to stress out. That seems to ring truer for females. There are many ways to relax and be stress free, without spending a fortune.

Changing your lifestyle and reducing your stress will prolong your life.

Let’s learn how to protect your health when the going gets tough.

• The first thing you do is to try to determine the reason why you are stressed. Go through your day and write down any time you feel stressed and what has caused that emotion. Make a list, as hard as it sounds it will be extremely helpful. You will be able to manage your life when you have a concrete list of what the stressors are in your life.
• Now that you have your list, determine what you can eliminate. Sometimes, the main culprit is overbooked or over scheduling yourself. In turn this will create stress, because you will feel that you cannot accomplish your daily tasks. Learn to delegate household responsibilities. If you are feeling overwhelmed because you have too much to do, pick up takeout food or a prepared meal to lessen your stress.
• Prioritize and make a list of what needs to be done in the morning, end of the day and end of the week. Focus on the task at hand and move down your list. As you progress down the list will start to feel less stressed and more able to accomplish your tasks and not feel overwhelmed.
• Regular exercise will reduce your stress. You do not have to join a gym or spa, a simple walk around the neighborhood is great exercise and will not cost a dime.
• Breathe. Abdominal breathing will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood stream. This in turn will trigger the brain to reduce the concentration of stress hormones.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Sleeping 8 to 10 hours will help your body relax and reduce the surge of stress.
• Listen to music. The music does not have to be calming music, it can be any type of music that you enjoy. Listening to your favorite tunes is the best remedy for stress.

And last but not least, stop being so hard on yourself. We tend to be our own worse critics. Instead of beating yourself up, try writing down your negative thoughts and follow them with a positive thought. Positive thinking is healthy and will relieve a lot of self induced stress.

************************************
Well, this is my last day at Busy Mom Wellness and I just have to thank Val once again for her generosity in allowing me to take over her blog for a couple of days. I truly hope that I have shared some information that you, the reader, find valuable and useful.

Remember that I am giving away a copy of my e-book, Eat Right and Feel Great, so be sure to leave your comments about the posts. It is not too late to leave a comment on the first blog post I did. If you comment on both, I’ll give you an additional entry; and if you tweet this blog post with the hashtag #drmommytalkshealth, I will give you another entry.

And don’t forget that I will be having a Grand Prize giveaway as well. My latest program Raising a Healthy Kid is a membership option for parents. I am giving away a 3 month subscription to one lucky commenter on each blog I visit during the Dr. Mommy’ s Healthy for the Holiday Tour. If you tweet the blog tour with the hashtag #drmommytalkshealth you will get an additional entry or the giveaway. If you are a parent with a picky eater be sure to check this membership option out.

About the Author

Dr. Daisy Sutherland, is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Mommy, LLC.  She is a doctor by profession, devoted wife and mom to 5 beautiful children.  She is a speaker, writer, and motivational coach/mentor and Health/Wellness advocate. Her passion is to help others to live happier and healthier lives. Dr. Mommy’s dedication to help families is evident from her work online and offline but more importantly it is evident from the energy she exudes when talking about her true passion.  Dr. Mommy’s mission is to help families in health, wealth and sanity.  For more information about Dr. Mommy and her mission visit her today at http://drmommyhelpsmoms.com or http://drmommyhealthtips.com

Let’s face it moms are busy and never seem to have time for regimented exercise programs. With the amount of things we do on a daily basis who has time? Fortunately, there are a variety of exercise solutions that will keep you not only in shape but motivated as well, in spite of your crazy schedule.

Here are some exercise tips for busy moms:

• Stick to a schedule – it is very easy to occupy your time with the many daily responsibilities you have and leave exercise out but scheduling will make it easier. The workout can be at a gym or at home, but the most important thing to remember is to schedule time for it or you will not exercise.
• Make the time – this goes hand in hand with the scheduling part. It exercise is important to you, than make it a priority. This may mean getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier in the morning to stretch or perhaps taking a brisk walk in the morning. This will start your day and motivate you to continue doing it on a daily basis.
• Limits are off limits – If you don’t have the time or money to go to a gym, develop an exercise routine at home. It is easy to do with an exercise mat, an exercise ball and perhaps a few free weights. Those are the only items needed to tone and shape your body.
• Combine your workouts – combining multiple exercises together will save you time and burn off more calories. This can be accomplished by taking a step class at the local gym or riding your bike or swimming laps in your pool.
• Involve your friends – Self motivation is not easy for some people so finding a friend to join you in your exercise routine will make it easier for your to stick to your schedule. Finding someone to keep you accountable for your exercise time helps as well.
• Involve your children – Many moms use the excuse of having children and therefore not having time to exercise. Why not involve them in your exercise routine? There are a variety of activities you can do as a family to keep you all in shape. Riding bikes together, spending the day at the pool or beach or simply taking daily walks will stress the importance of regular exercise. Remember, children will learn by example, set a good one and start implementing an exercise routine in your life today.

*************************************
Let me end this post by saying that I am so elated to have Val’s blog as a blog stop on the Dr Mommy’s Healthy For the Holidays Blog Tour. I truly hope that the readers enjoy what I share.

I want to giveaway one of my many E-books. I think for this blog, a perfect choice is Eat Right and Feel Great . To win you must comment on my posts either today or tomorrow. If you comment on both, I’ll give you an additional entry; and if you tweet this blog post with the hashtag #drmommytalkshealth, I will give you another entry. Pretty cool I think!

Thanks for letting me be the blogger who talks health for a couple of days!!

I am really excited about this next part.

I will be having a Grand Prize giveaway as well. My latest program Raising a Healthy Kid is a membership option for parents. I am giving away a 3 month subscription one lucky commenter on each blog, that is a part my tour. If you tweet the blog tour with the hashtag #drmommytalkshealth you will get an additional entry into giveaway. If you are a parent with a picky eater be sure to check this membership option out.

About the Author

Dr. Daisy Sutherland, is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Mommy, LLC.  She is a doctor by profession, devoted wife and mom to 5 beautiful children.  She is a speaker, writer, and motivational coach/mentor and Health/Wellness advocate. Her passion is to help others to live happier and healthier lives. Dr. Mommy’s dedication to help families is evident from her work online and offline but more importantly it is evident from the energy she exudes when talking about her true passion.  Dr. Mommy’s mission is to help families in health, wealth and sanity.  For more information about Dr. Mommy and her mission visit her today at http://drmommyhelpsmoms.com or http://drmommyhealthtips.com

I’m very excited to be a stop on Dr. Mommy’s Healthy for the Holidays Blog Tour! She’ll be a great addition to my posts here and I love how she focuses on being healthy. As everyone should know by now that is my focus here at Busy Momma Wellness.

Dr. Daisy will be stopping here on the 13th and 16th. Her posts are even a surprise to me, so it’s like Christmas on my blog! It’s always my goal to bring great information to my readers. Bringing a doctor to the site for all of you is a real bonus to me and as I already said I’m so excited to be chosen as a stop. Please stop back by and make her feel welcome by leaving a comment. You can also check out her great products and services at Dr. Mommy helps Moms.

Make sure I’m added to your feed reader, or you are part of the newsletter list to be reminded when her posts go live.

I came across this site sometime this spring or summer. I follow Sean Bissel on twitter and he put up a link for me to check out this new program they had out. I love to use the FDA’s website to keep track of how my diet may be doing, but I’m always game to try something new. Especially if the software is on my computer so I can use it even when I don’t have internet access.

yummy fitness software

With lots of options for tracking, this program is easy to use and I love it. I can create more than one profile so I secretly created an account for hubby on it as well. lol

You set up your profile and then set up the calories you are trying to hit. Then after you input your food for the day you will be able to see just where your calories came from and how many you ate and drank. If you have foods you eat often, you can save those foods as well.

The program is VERY affordable and includes a book as well. This isn’t a diet plan for you to join and fail before you even start. This is a way to keep track of what you are doing and see exactly where you need to change things. There’s no drastic food changes, no starving yourself and no depriving yourself of your favorite foods.

Go to Yummy Fitness and check it out for yourself. You’ll love how easy it is to use. ( by the way, I’m not making money from this recommendation, lol )

You are a Mommy and that takes everything out of you.  We give everything we possibly can to our family because it’s what has been smacked upside our heads for centuries.  We literally drive ourselves into the ground and don’t listen to our body and our health.

Fitness for Busy Parents will help you fit your goals into your busy schedule.  It’s a matter of making yourself a higher priority and helping the family understand this. You do have time to take care of your health and this ebook will help you.

busy parents fitness