Parents don’t get a lot of free time, so when they do see an opening in their schedule, they often have to figure out the best way to use it. Many times, parents are forced to choose between working out or spending time with their kids. Deciding whether your health or your family is more important can be tough—but luckily, you don’t have to make this choice anymore. Here’s how you can get back into shape while spending time with your kids:
Throw a dance party.
Dancing can improve flexibility, burn a ton of calories, and tone muscles in your core, back, and legs. You don’t have to be a trained dancer to reap the rewards of dancing—all you have to do is get up and get moving to a beat! Turn on kid-friendly music and invite your kids to dance like no one’s watching alongside you. Use this dance party as a way to let loose and act silly with your kids. You may even want to challenge your kids to a dance-off to see who has the better moves!
Play your kids’ favorite games.
Many of the activities that your kids enjoy involve a lot of movement that can burn calories and tone your muscles. For example, hula hooping is a great cardio exercise that also creates long, lean muscles in your abdomen. Even a simple game like Tag involves a lot of running around that can get your heart pumping. The next time you see your kids playing one of their favorite games, ask them if you can join so you can squeeze in a workout while bonding with your kids.
Include your four-legged friends.
Dogs need to be walked multiple times a day, so grab your furry friend’s leash and head outside with your kids. Walking your dog won’t be an intense exercise, but it’s a great starting point if you’re just beginning your journey to get back in shape. Plus, since you won’t be panting heavily from the walk, you will be able to hold a conversation with your kids and catch up with them.
If you don’t already have a dog, consider welcoming one to the family to motivate you to start getting back into shape. Be sure that you take the time to teach your kids how to behave around dogs so they don’t get hurt.
Go swimming.
Kids love swimming during the summer, so this year, why don’t you join them? Swimming can burn around 350 calories every 30 minutes, which means you will burn more in the pool than you would walking, biking, or running. Swimming doesn’t just burn calories—it tones your muscles, too. The resistance of water is 44 times greater than the resistance of air, so you have to use a lot of strength to move through it. Because of this, going for a swim is similar to working out with gym equipment. The only difference is you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on fancy, bulky machines!
Follow these tips and you will never have to decide between spending more time with your children and getting back into shape again. Now, you can conquer both of these goals at the same time!