Spring has officially arrived and with every flower that magically blooms, we become more inspired and anxious to get bikini ready for summertime. Like most busy mommies, you find yourself hustling out the door, hoping to get the kiddies off to school. Getting your precious workout accomplished, while the little ones are busy with their daily commitments seems like the most practical time to release some mental steam in the gym.

With childhood obesity at an all-time, staggering high and the over-marketed, junk food commercials blaring in our innocent offspring’s little, impressionable eyes, it’s time to re-evaluate why we are not including our family, let alone our children, in some of our fitness commitments. While I love getting my workout in solo, check out some of these easy spring family fitness tips that can be thrown in the mix as time permits. You are your children’s best role model so why not make health and fitness a family priority? 

Fitness is for all ages. Here is my 11-year-old daughter working on suspension training at the fitness studio at La Camariila Racquet & Fitness.

Hit The Pavement

Schools out, the sun is shining…Got a little time to kill? Grab the kids and your sunscreen, even leash the restless dog and hit that pavement. Studies show that walking briskly, at a constant pace not only burns calories safely and efficiently, but is also mentally rewarding. There Is truly nothing like fresh air. Invest in some inexpensive pedometers for the kids to wear and watch their sense of satisfaction skyrocket with real data of their physical achievement. Throw is a timer and you have created a baseline goal to beat every time you venture out.

Little Fitness Academy

Sign them up! Ask your local fitness club director if you can set up a time for your children to go through a fitness orientation with both you and a certified fitness professional. Many clubs do have minimum age requirements for equipment use, and if they are of age, what better place for them to be after school than getting educated on workouts geared towards the specific needs of children and teens. Band work, sports specific training, stretching, cardiovascular circuits… the ideas are endless. With a growing trend in adolescent fitness, many clubs also offer teen and children group fitness classes, even mommy and me formats such as yoga are big hits…Ask away!

Back to the Basics

Can you remember the last time you played tag? A definite favorite of my sons and mine, which guarantees lots of laughs and heart rates soaring to the sky. Try some hula hoops, jump ropes, soccer balls, cones… The sky is the limit and get creative! Functional fitness is hot and mimicking some of those “Cross-Fit” type formats in your very own backyard with simple, fun equipment that you already own, can definitely get you sweaty and energized instantly. Take turns creating the workouts, time each other, track your stats and you have instantly created your very own group fitness class in your backyard. Encourage your kids to include their friends and to even teach you a few tricks!

Some kids are athletes, and some or not. My son loves sports, so I can get him to move his body when football season is over by hitting the track and running races with him. The most valuable 'fitness' message you can teach your kids, is to keep moving. 

Nutrition 101

I encourage you to talk to your kids about nutrition with the premise that healthy eating is a privilege, not a punishment. Share with them how lucky we are to have so many healthy foods to choose from and that variety is key…Think colorful plates of food. Include your kids on grocery trips so they may choose and try new fruits and vegetables that they may have never had. Encourage them to help prepare healthy meals in the kitchen and teach them how to understand food labels. Laying the foundation for both fitness and nutrition at an early age definitely helps shape healthy attitudes as grown-ups.

Lisa is a local fitness expert and proud Mom of 2, with a passion to inspire Moms and kidsto be healthy and fit. When she is not training her clients, or developing cutting-edge wellness programming exclusively for La Camarilla Racquet & HealthClub, she shares her knowledge in many national fitness magazines and websites such as Oxygen, Max Muscle, M&F Hers and Brooke Burke’s ModernMom.com. www.LisaRobinsFitness.com