Put some F-U-N back into fitness!

I love to play with my kids.  Honestly, there is not much that I love more than that.  Kids are always so full of energy, so creative with games to play, and never stop moving.  Their laughter is so contageous that I often forget that I'm not a child myself and get lost in their world.  So much of what kids do for fun, I (as an adult) force myself to do through boot camp or on my own to help become healthy and lose weight.  Do you remember skipping EVERYWHERE you went?  Skipping rope durring recess, playing tag, playing soccer??

My toddler skips all the time, and it causes me to maintain a steady jog to keep up with her, and she squeals in delight when she notices me by her side.

My point is that working out doesn't always have to be HARD...it can be FUN  !

Here are some FUN and SIMPLE things that you can do to spice up your work-out routine:

1. Play tag on the playground. This is a fun activity for losing weight, especially if you have your own kids to chase. Running, climbing, squatting and laughing are great ways to burn calories and reach your fitness goals.  I even have fun trying to fit my butt down the slide after my kids or shimming across the monkeybars!
2. Challenge friends or neighbor (yours or your kids) to a game. Whether its basketball, tennis or soccer, you’ll have fun burning calories while participating in a little friendly competition.
3. Pack your favorite healthy foods in a picnic basket and head to the park or the beach via walking, jogging, or bike. There is a fabulous community park about 2 miles from my house that we love to walk to take family bike rides to for picnics.  Being outside, getting fresh air and eating healthy foods will make you feel great!  We love it so much that noone ever notices the 4 mile journey!
4. Join a Volksmarching Club to view new and interesting surroundings while walking with a group on a 10K route. Destinations often include bridges, mountainous areas, historical settings and other places you wouldn’t normally see on a walk through your own neighborhood. Trainging for the 10K walk will also keep you motivated to exercise and lose weight.
5. Turn up the radio or put on an upbeat CD and dance. Dancing is a fun way to get active and lose weight. Additionally, motivational music will improve your mood and help you stick with your weight loss plan.  We like to re-enact "So you think you can dance" for fun night-time play!  You'll be surprised at how exhausting 10 minutes of wild dancing will be!
6. Enjoy activities you haven’t thought about since childhood. Skip rope, jump on a trampoline or ride a bike. Giving into your inner child can be exciting and rejuvenating. If there are some things you can’t quite do, keep working out and retest yourself in a few months. When you do succeed at these activities you will feel empowered.
7. Take a hike. Geocaching turns an ordinary hike into a treasure hunt. Finding these hidden treasures adds another purpose to hiking and takes your focus away from the exercise. Before you know it, you’ve walked several hours and burned twice as many calories as you would have at home on the treadmill & been an exciting science teacher to your kids. 
8. Reward yourself with fun, simple pleasures as you reach short term goals. When you lose five pounds, for example, buy yourself a fun CD, a newWii Sports Game, fun colored socks, a belly dancing DVD, or whatever motivates you to have fun while losing weight.

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥