With Spring almost upon us, this is the perfect time to check in with your new year's resolutions. Around one in five of us pledge to make changes at the start of each new year, with losing weight and improving fitness being the most popular choice of all.
If you were that one in five, how is your new fitness regime getting on? Has it fallen by the wayside as March approaches or are you finding excuses to hit the couch rather than the gym? We feel your pain. Staying active is a big commitment, and it’s not always fun!
What can make it easier is turning it into a team effort with the emphasis on fun rather than calorie burning? Get the whole family involved, so it seems less like a chore and more like quality time together.
In 2018 the Scottish government announced that 29% of Scotland’s children were overweight. Aiming for an active family life is an excellent way to combat the problem with mum and dad reaping the benefits as well as the kids.
Even if you were part of the four out of five of us that didn’t make a resolution this year, now is a perfect time to start thinking about how you can get moving this year as a family.
Not sure where to get started? Try out some of these excellent activity ideas to get everyone; big and small, old and young, moving and grooving.
Try something new
Don’t limit yourself to doing the same activities week in and week out. Instead, try something new each week. You might just be surprised by the amount of heart-pumping activities there are out there to try as a family.
Trampolining has been upgraded in recent years from a back garden activity to warehouse-sized establishments filled with specialised trampolines, foam pits and so much more.
Check out Ryze with locations in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow for extreme dodgeball sessions, ninja obstacle course and foam pits that will be a family outing to remember.
Climbing walls are an ideal way to sneak in some upper body strength training, not to mention teaching balance and spatial awareness. Look for family classes and taster session for complete beginners if you have no previous experience.
Check out the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena for a brightly coloured experience packed with fun challenge walls that are perfect for beginners and experienced climbers alike.
Venture out into the Great Outdoors
Better weather is (hopefully) just around the corner so why not get exploring with days out. Walking is an easy and effective way to keep active and requires no special equipment either.
While walking may not seem the most exciting of options compared to an afternoon of trampolining, there are ways to get the whole family excited about taking a tromp outside.
Tackling a festival or charity walk is a great way to attempt longer distances with plenty of moral support. Most walks will have pit stops with water, snacks and toilets at frequent intervals, supporters cheering you on and a party type atmosphere at the beginning and end of the walk.
Check out this list of upcoming organised walks. The longer ones tend to have age limits so check before signing up to make sure everyone is eligible, then get training and fundraising!
Get some practice in with a treasure hunt twist
Before heading out on miles long charity walks, you will want to get some training in. A great way to keep things fun and encourage a spirit of adventure is to add an exciting element to your walk with geocaching.
While the smallest caches will just allow you to leave your initials and the date you found it, larger ones will be packed with small items, the idea being that you take an item and leave one behind.
Discover more about geocaching and find cache heavy spots here.
Holidays aren’t just for sunbathing
We all like a bit of rest and relaxation when it comes to getting away from it all for a week or two, but your holiday can be so much more than milkshakes for the kiddos and poolside cocktails for you.
Use your time away, and that new found energy from being more active, to try out a whole host of new experiences and sports that perhaps wouldn’t as comfortable with our oh so predictable Scottish summer weather!
Stand up paddle boarding, windsurfing and kayaking are just a small taste of what could be available to you on family activity holidays. Look for getaways that include extra activities and lessons in the price so you and your kids can try your hands at something new.
If you are planning a staycation for this year’s summer holiday why not plan a family Olympic style competition?
Choose a handful of sports or back garden friendly versions of them; think foam javelins rather than the real deal. Give everyone a few weeks to practice and then host your own tournament. Get crafty by building a podium and creating medals to hand out too.
With so many alternative ways to get moving, you can practically kiss that underused gym membership goodbye!
The people who are most successful at losing weight or improving their fitness levels are those who approach it as a lifestyle change rather than trying to stick to a rigid schedule.
Telling the kids you are all going to start jogging 5 miles before breakfast probably won’t win you any friends.
Planning regular outings that just happen to get the blood pumping like trampolining or going on holiday were windsurfing is on the cards makes keeping active something to be enjoyed rather than endured.
So what are you waiting for? Start planning your next active adventure today.
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