Making Health & Fitness a Family Affair

Parents are busy with work and keeping up with household issues. Children are busy with school and extracurricular activities. Somewhere in the flurry of living life, health and fitness get pushed the wayside in favor of convenience food and "end-of-the-day" couch potato habits.

Sure, mom might find herself trying a diet here or there. And the kids might even be involved in sports to keep their own exercise habits up to par. It's more common though that the younger members of the family take on the unhealthy habits that their parents have displayed. With so many excuses handy (no time, too tired, etc.), it's easy to ignore the ways the whole family can be healthy

Health does not have to be an all or nothing prospect. Making little changes and putting forth a little more effort can make big differences in your family's overall health. It can also help you find some extra time to spend together and strengthen your family unit. Here's some simple things to get your family on track.

1. Use the weekends - Life during the regular work and school week can be too hectic to find time to spend together. The weekend offers extra time in which to find those opportunities. Pick a time to take a walk as a family or go to the gym to play a game of basketball. Plan for a meal together and make it healthy, using lean meats and fresh vegetables.

2. Cut back on "lunch allowance" - Most families allot so much money for each member for their lunch needs. But quick and easy for adults generally means fast food. And more high schools offer a snack bar and vending machines, guaranteeing that the kids are going to be munching on chips and soda instead of healthier fare. Cut back on everyone's lunch allowance and pack healthy meals instead. No one has to go totally broke, but enough money for a treat here and there will keep everyone much healthier than enough for a greasy or high sugared lunch day in and day out.