Living a Healthier Life Starts with Family Wellness Activities

Living healthy is easier and more fun when the whole family gets involved. When everyone works together to make healthy choices, the results tend to be significant and long-lasting. If your family has become too sedentary lately, try these family wellness activities the whole clan can do together.

How Healthy Living Benefits Parents and Kids

Regardless of age or gender, healthy living will provide many key benefits to all the members of your family, including:

• Increased Energy
• Maintain a Healthy Weight
• Good Mental Health
• Disease Prevention
• Longevity

6 Simple Steps to Full Family Wellness

1)      Make Health and Wellness a Family Affair

Working out and eating right can be tough to do on your own. But when it’s a family effort you will be able to provide each other with encouragement that keeps everyone on the right track. In addition, your group wellness activities will likely become a real bonding experience.

2)      Create a Schedule for Healthy Activities

Your family will receive the most benefits from physical activity when it’s done regularly. By creating a family wellness schedule, you will be able to develop positive habits for yourself and your children.

As you create a schedule that works for your family, keep in mind these recommended guidelines for physical activity:

• Children and adolescents — ages six through 17 — should perform 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day.
• Adults should perform at least two hours and 30 minutes to five hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity.

3)      Pick Activities the Whole Family can Enjoy

On Long Island, there’s a seemingly unlimited amount of low-cost, healthy family activities to choose from, including walking, jogging, bike riding and swimming. But, remember to pick activities that all members of your family will be able to participate in. For example, a long walk through the park is one type of aerobic activity that is even good for tweens.

4)      Prep and Cook Healthy Meals Together

Eating a balanced diet is another positive goal the whole family can work on together. From food shopping to meal prep, parents and kids can work together to make, serve and eat meals that include the five food groups.

5)      Set a Positive Example for Your Kids

Did you know that only about one in three children are physically active every day? Very often, an active lifestyle is passed down from the good habits of parents. By setting a positive example of healthy living in your household, your kids will be less inclined to spend the afternoons sitting on the couch.

6)       Start Slowly but Stay Consistent

As you begin your new family wellness plan, it’s important to start slow. Take baby steps. Many families make the mistake of creating radical changes immediately, and then not sticking to these new healthy habits. Instead, start with a family walk through the neighborhood, and then progress to more rigorous types of exercise later.

Schedule a Medical Checkup at Advantage Care

As you get started on your journey to improving health and wellness, consider checking in with your health care professional. Advantage Care Health Centers provides high quality primary care services for children and adults, which includes annual physical exams, immunizations and more. Request an appointment today!