Exercise: A Family Affair

Keep exercise fun and motivational by including your family.

After my son was born in October 2000, I knew I needed to get myself back in shape – New Year’s Resolution: lose 20lbs. Not an easy task when taking care of a newborn, but I incorporated my exercise in our daily activities to achieve that very goal.

The plan:
Because my old regimen included frequenting the gym and an occasional exercise video at home, I needed to change things up a bit to accommodate the addition of my newborn whether he was a part of the routine itself, or nearby for a game of peek-a-boo.

The new plan comprised of a daily walk around the neighborhood, usually in the morning after he awoke to revitalize our minds and get us energized for the upcoming day. If weather didn’t permit I would get down on the floor with an exercise video utilizing my son as weights for scrunches, or arm and leg work. This also kept us close and allowed for a fun experience adding counting, raspberries on the belly, and a few laughs. While I created a routine based on activities that I previously enjoyed participating in, there are several programs already established (gym and video) that incorporate children, including Yoga with Baby, Children’s Yoga, and others. A good resource to check out programs in your area would be your doctor’s office, local gym, or YMCA.

As the weather started to change and my son became more active, we continued walking, following a relaxing swim. Seeing his face with a huge smile upon walking to the pool was a great motivator for me. Adding a new activity also kept us motivated, changing up the routine a little, and working slightly different muscles.

Resolution Complete:

As I hopped onto the scale to find that I had achieved my goal, a moment of sadness hit me. I didn’t want our activity filled routine that brought us so much enjoyment to end, so we continued.