Call: No Time for Exercise?
Posted: Aug 09 in Activity Recommendations, Weight Management Strategies by Dr. Lazarus
Get Active!
The flip side of the structure is the endless activities and often over-scheduling between after school activities, homework, and day-to-day household and work responsibilities. One of the first things to get bumped in the chaos of it all is regular exercise (for parents that is). Our kiddos get to enjoy the soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball, dance, gymnastics, etc. We all realize the importance for kids to get regular physical activity – whether riding bikes, scooters, playing at the park, or just chasing blowing leaves. Guess what? We need that activity piece just as desperately.
I challenge all of you in organizing your fall schedules to make exercise a priority. No time you say? What about walking the soccer fields instead of sitting in the car reading a book? Is there a gym close to your kid’s activities? Is it possible to walk around the block of the dance studio? Many parents have started kickboxing while their child is in Tae-Kwon-Do. Are there any carpool possibilities with a spouse or other parent? Sometimes we need to tap into our networks to come up with creative solutions. Perhaps swap watching other children one practice for yours the next.
Bottom line: try to come up with a consistent block of time for physical activity. Excuses are easy to come by; the workable solutions are often very rewarding. Our mental and physical health depend on it!
-Heather Thomas, P.A. -C.
I could not agree more, Heather! My daughter takes a 45 minute ballet class at the rec center so I always try to squeeze a workout in during class, even if it seems easier to just chat with the other moms during class instead! 🙂
With the prospect of cooler weather approaching, perhaps I’ll drag myself out of my vegetable garden and hit the weights indoors! Gardening and taking the dog out cover most of it until the snow flies, though! Thanks for the article, Heather!