Stay active, even on vacation

Today is Family Health & Fitness Day USA and I’m blogging all about it at Living Litehouse. This national health and fitness initiative encourages family involvement in physical activity and eating right, primary goals of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health. Statistics show that most of us, especially children from 12 – 21 years of age, are getting not getting the exercise and healthy foods we need to perform our best. Here are some great ways to live healthy every day of the year:

Get the whole family involved in a fun run!

Devote one hour a day to being active. It doesn’t always have to be a hardcore workout; walking to school with your kids or raking leaves together are examples of how to easily fit it into a busy schedule. Making exercise all fun and games is also a way to sneak it in – play tag, hula hoop, jump rope or sign up for a family fun run.

Encourage extra-curricular sports. I’ve found that sometimes it’s hard to know if you like something until you try it, especially if there are pre-conceived notions involved.  If your kid shows an aptitude combined with a passion a sport, let him go for it. Otherwise, don’t worry about trying to train a little Olympic prodigy, just let them enjoy the experience.

Make healthy eating fun. A balanced diet doesn’t have to be something to dread. Instead, pack your family’s plates and lunchboxes with creative and nutritious foods that are scaled back on fat, sugar, sodium and unneccesary preservatives and artificial stuff.  The healthiest eaters focus on filling up with vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Of course, just search around my recipes and you’ll find a ton of tasty mealtime inspiration.

Get kids involved in picking out colorful fruits and vegetables.

Don’t forget to visit Living Litehouse to learn more about this and find out other great ways to live well and eat well.