Move It Or Lose It [For The Family]
This title doesn’t typically scream positivity for most people, but it is relevant to our topic today – MOVEMENT.
We have done a great job over the years of engineering movement out of our lives.
But here is the problem, if we don’t MOVE IT (our body) we will certainly LOST IT (our health).
Interesting fact; remember when diabetes was classified as Juvenile and Adult Onset? Well the big reason for the shift to Type 1 and Type 2 is that kids were being diagnosed with “Adult Onset” diabetes at an alarming rate.
This is due to diet and…. Lack of MOVEMENT. Some of you may remember the days when you had to get up and walk across the room or get up off the couch to change the channel on the TV. I may be dating myself, but I do remember. The thing is, back then as kids we didn’t sit in front of the TV for hours watching a 1000 channels of TV or playing hours of video games, we went outside and ran around.
Well, times have changed so we must be more creative about how we get our kids moving. Studies have also shown a direct correlation between physical activity and academic performance. A University of Kansas showed that more than 97% of kids grades 9-12 graduated from high school, 10% more than those who never participated in sports. And the athletes were shown to have higher GPA’s.
Organized team sports, typically run through the town, is a great way to start. Team sports not only get our kids moving, but they teach our kids some valuable tools; Communication, decisive action, teamwork, etc…
Walk the dog. Don’t just open the back door and let him/her out. Find a nice path/trail near your house and take a family stroll.
Timing. After school is a good time for kids who have been sitting all day and are ready to burn off some of the pent-up energy.
Exercise does not have to look like exercise. Make it fun. Bowling, tennis, catch, gardening.
Plan a hike and bring a friend. Kids are much more likely to agree to an activity if they can bring a friend along.
Geocaching is a fun activity for kids and is inexpensive. Turn a hike into a treasure hunt. There are plenty of options you can find online.
Track your progress, make it a competition. Whether you use a phone, a fit bit or the calendar, who doesn’t like a little challenge. Set goals and make rewards fun.
Especially early on, be reasonable with your requests. Make it 5 minutes at first if you are meeting resistance. Get them moving enough to break a little sweat and work from there. Don’t call it what it is – exercise – bring out your sales techniques! Encourage the kids help choose some of the activities. They will be much more apt to participate if they feel they were part of the process.
As chiropractors, we at In8 Wellness Center in Beverly, MA work with our patients to improve movement, flexibility and stability so that they can perform at their best at any age. Getting your kids spine checked to determine if there are challenges that may be holding them back is an important part of their health.