This time of year, it can be a little more difficult to stay active and healthy. That’s why I’m sharing 6 tips we implement daily to keep our kids healthy and fit.
Number 4 might surprise you, so be sure to read on.
1. Get Outside
This time of year it’s getting downright frigid in the Chicago area, but I still bundle the kids up to get fresh air and exercise. It might not be for long, but enough for rosy cheeks and my sanity. I also have a weather shield cover for our BOB dualie that keeps the kids protected while Cooper gets some exercise alongside us.
2. Follow a Bedtime Routine
Stick to a consistent bedtime. Sleep, and plenty of it, is crucial to staying healthy.
Sure, there will be some later nights with the holidays, maybe parties or family visiting, that inevitably lead to later bedtimes, but we do our best to make sure the kids have adequate sleep. Tired kiddos are more susceptible to getting sick.
3. Move
No surprise here, right? I mean, this is a fitness blog. Kids need to (want to) be active, so every day, we are moving. It’s easy to visit parks in the summer, and let them climb, jump and run. In the winter, we still get outside, but allowing them to burn off steam inside is okay too. Sometimes, we set up an obstacle course downstairs. Or, have them use a mini trampoline to get the wiggles out.
4. Shoes Off Inside
Okay, so why this? Well, our shoes track in a lot of bacteria and germs from grocery stores, public restrooms, retail outlets, schools, etc. In many cultures, it’s the norm to leave your shoes outside. We didn’t start doing this until we had kids. We began thinking about what was contaminating their little hands when they were crawling on our (not so clean) floors, and it grossed us out.
Now, our policy is shoes off inside. Plus, it keeps the house cleaner, and that’s a bonus. As a mom, I don’t need more things to clean, you feel me?
5. Dense, Real Nutrition
This a game changer for us. We have always eaten a fairly clean diet as a family. However, I knew there was a better option. You can read how my husband and I changed our nutrition, but what a beautiful thing to be able to hand that very nutrition to our kids too!
I didn’t share my protein shakes with my kids prior to introducing our new nutrition, but that was silly. Why was I putting something into my body that I wasn’t comfortable giving my kids?! Problem solved, and now they start their days off with undenatured grass fed whey protein shakes and also use the multi vitamins, meal bars, snacks, and more.
6. Drink Water
In the winter, it’s noticeably drier especially with the heat running, so we remind our kids to keep hydrating even when they don’t feel like it. When we are properly hydrated, our bodies function optimally. At snacks and meals, our kids drink water too. Cole never took to milk, so we just switched to water.
Happy Kids
While I’m far from an expert, I did want to share what we try to do on a daily basis to keep our kids healthy and active. Healthy kids are happy kids!
What are some tips you incorporate on a daily basis to keep your kids, or yourself, healthy and active year round?