The Gift of Exercise

How to Encourage Family Fitness

By Mary Catherine Kinniburgh

When the holidays arrive and we gather with family and friends, there are always a few accommodation challenges; perhaps a grandparent requires a lower-level room because they can’t use the stairs, or an aunt requires extra sleep and quiet to deal with a fatigue-inducing medication.

Many health and wellness issues also come up this time of year. When we visit family that lives a sedentary lifestyle, it can be uncomfortable to encourage exercise or activity if people seem unwilling. Furthermore, your family might celebrate the holidays in a very structured way that takes lots of time and planning to execute, so your afternoon jog might seem rude if you appear to be ditching tradition.

Still, as someone committed to total wellness, it’s important to stay active all year long.  You may need to forego your regular routine but you just might be able to get everyone moving a little more—while creating new, more active holiday traditions.

Set an example

Explaining why you get up early to lift weights or walk on a treadmill might be a good way to share your fitness-oriented motivations with friends and family. But what if they feel excluded from your activities or are incapable of enjoying fitness the way you do?

It’s hard for someone to model your active behavior if you exercise all by yourself. Involve your family in your fitness pursuits so they can experience firsthand the benefits of exercise. Choose an activity that includes all ages, such as a walk around the neighborhood. Walking and talking is a fun way to chat and much healthier than sitting on the couch. It also provides stimulation for kids, who always have a little extra energy to burn off.

Consider all levels of fitness

Since you may not always be sure of your family’s medical or health conditions, start off slowly and enjoy aerobic exercise at a moderate pace. This means everyone should be able to talk with just a little bit of exertion. Incorporating resistance or muscle training into the holidays in a group setting is often impractical, but you might suggest that a group (including you) go out to rake leaves, shovel snow, or carry groceries in from the car. All of these activities require muscles to work.

Make an active contribution

Since staying active is also about keeping on your feet and feeling positive, you and your family might volunteer to clean a local park, work at a soup kitchen, or walk the dogs at your local shelter. Whatever activity you choose, you’ll be sharing the gift of good health this holiday season.