Fall Family Fitness!

by Ashley Haeberle

It’s that time of the year where we tend to justify why we are eating more than usual because New Year’s resolutions are right around the corner!  You know who you are :)  I know because I am one of them! Seems fair, right?  Well, I guess we could justify why we aren’t eating the way we should (portion control being the most important aspect of eating right, in my opinion).  We could tell ourselves that we will start working out again after January 1^st.   But why would we do that when we can have the best of both worlds? 

Now, I understand that this time of the year is very busy, and it really is hard to find the time to get to the gym or even out on the road for a jog. But you can find 20 minutes, I promise! It might be 5am, or 11pm but you can find the time! 

Try this: It’s called the 300 workout. Basically you do 300 reps of whatever you want! Here’s how I would do it: 50 squats, 50 right leg lunges, 50 left leg lunges, 50 push ups, 50 crunches and 50 jump ropes. By the way, you don’t really need a jump rope, just pretend like you have one and go through the motions. Do that everyday, preferably along with some cardio, and you will be on your way to being a fitness guru! 

So, see? You can go through the holidays without completely undoing what you worked all year for (or didn’t work all year for). :)   Did you know that in 2-3 weeks of being sedentary, you will lose 3 months worth of muscle building? I don’t tell you that to depress you, but to hopefully help you realize how important it is to be consistent in your exercise. Your muscles (and your jeans) will thank you! 

Okay, enough about that, how about some ideas that can get your whole family moving! Fall, I think, is the best time of the year to get active as a family. One of my family’s favorite things to do is go on a walk around the neighborhood after dinner every night. This is great because the worst thing you can do is plop down on the couch after filling your belly with food. Get moving so your food can digest more quickly, leaving less opportunity for it to settle in a place you don't want it!  Go on hikes, bike rides, or anything else you can find to do that is physically active and healthy for your family. We love jumping on the trampoline, swimming at an indoor pool and going to the Monkey House (a building filled with huge bounce-around houses for kids…and parents...to play on). I think Ricky and I enjoy the Monkey House more than the kids do, and I’m usually out of breath and super sweaty by the time we go home. But it’s all worth it because it’s so much fun!  

So, remember this: don’t be miserable around the holidays.  Eat yummy food--just remember portion control, keep exercising and get your family involved! Most of all, enjoy this beautiful time of the year, and thank God for His wonderful creation!