10 Fun Jump-Starts to Family Fitness

Family schedules are always busy, and many of us think we simply don't have time to work out. In reality, the benefits of fitness far outweigh the issue of making time for it. Rates of childhood obesity continue to climb, putting children and young adults at risk for early heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Now more than ever, we need to encourage our children to get out and get active.

"Fitness doesn't happen without making an effort," explained CMG Family Medicine Physician Elena Ermakova, M.D. "Family activities are a wonderful way to get and stay fit. If you make exercise fun, everyone is more likely to do it.”

Here are 10 suggestions for jump-starting family fitness.

Change the ordinary to extraordinary. Walk or bike to school. Turn work into fun, like raking leaves then jumping in the piles.

Play games that keep you on the move. Shoot hoops, throw a Frisbee or knock a volleyball around. Engage in a game of Capture the Flag, hopscotch, badminton, croquet or golf.

Get your heart rate up with a hula hoop or jump rope.

Head for the hills this winter and play in the snow. If you don’t ski, sledding, tubing or building a snow fort will get your heart pumping.

Transform a simple walk into a game of chase, hide-n-seek or a search for interesting bugs or rocks.

Splash into action in an indoor pool. There’s more to do than laps. Have fun diving, doing headstands and playing water volleyball or Marco Polo.

Head to the local park or playground and climb the monkey bars, speed down slides and swing.

Dance! Turn up your favorite tunes and get into hip hop, hula, country and western, salsa, African, tap, belly, or square dancing.

Lace up your sneakers or boots and go for a brisk walk or hike. Depending on their ages, your children might enjoy rock climbing, rollerblading or horseback riding.

Go to the beach to fly a kite, pick up trash or jump in the waves.