Gear Up for National Nutrition Month Family Fitness and Fun in 5 Simple Steps

The benefits of proper nutrition and exercise is a key factor for your family's wellness. Keep fit as a family can help to increase life expectancy, decrease heart risks, maintain weight management and improve socialization. Establishing the value in family activities and fitness with children while they are younger, sets the stage for healthy habits and choices throughout life. In celebration of National Nutrition Month, I am working in partnership with the #ChobaniKids project to share the message of the importance of proper nutrition and an active lifestyle for families.

Everyday we have the opportunity to encourage fun ways to eat right and get moving and National Nutrition Month serves as a great reinforcement of these goals. When getting exercise feels like play and eating healthy meals is fun, your family enjoys a healthier lifestyle and the benefits of these positive actions.  It's very important as parents, to set an example for our kids and to support and encourage their path to wellness.

Get in gear with these simple family fitness steps-

1. Make Time for Active Play

As often as possible, unplug from technology and plan a family physical activity for at least 30 minutes each week. Walking to a nearby playground or ball field, playing kick ball, a game of bowling, dancing and hiking as examples of activities that can easily be introduced into schedules. Our family has also had family game nights with fitness video games during the winter for indoor active play time. Active play should include both competitive and noncompetitive activities to teach kids to develop good sportsmanship. 

2. Let's Get Moving

Park the car, and ride out on bikes or take a walk to the supermarket, library, park or nowhere in particular. We take advantage of enjoying warm weather with family walks after dinner chores are done. We use a pedometer app to keep track of our distance, starting at 30 minutes and working toward the goal of increasing our distance and stamina. Take advantage of indoor space to get in extra steps by opting to walk up steps or taking a longer route if possible.

3. Team Up with Family and Friends

Success very often comes from support. Enlist other family members and friends to join in to support your health and wellness journey. Prepare healthy snacks, like the new Chobani Kids products during family get-togethers and nutritious meals at holiday gatherings. We inform everyone of our healthier lifestyle actions and encourage them to participate and share their personal progress as well. Our family is known for our commitment to Water Wednesday!

4. Try New and Natural Food Recipes

My creativity in the kitchen is pretty much limited to a few basic, tried and true recipes that our family loves to eat. Fortunately, resources for tasty, new meals are available online. I'm looking forward to giving this Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Chobani a try! Chobani has introduced new Chobani Kids and Chobani Tots products, specially designed Greek Yogurt for toddlers and kids that "contain real fruit and vegetables, and only natural ingredients - no preservatives or artificial colors and flavors." 

5. Get Busy Indoors and Outdoors

Make the best of family chores by adding music and movement for a little inspiration and motivation to get busy. Allow younger kids to help with cleaning. Older kids can do their part by helping to rake leaves, shovel snow and sweep floors. We put on some of our favorite music to rock out to while cleaning to help the time to fly by and perfect our coolest dance moves.

How does your family work to put the fun in fitness?

Chobani Tots

Chobani Kids