Whole family needs fitness

[Anonymous]

We are overweight and sedentary. It is catching up to us. It has been a very very hard three years and my kid has substantial neurological differences and emotional issues. We are in our mid/late 40s. Kid is 10. Her meds make her gain weight which compounds the problem.

We need to get active and I'm looking for gentle advice. We try to go for family walks/hikes and it's rough going. Lots of resistance from the kid. I mean like shrieking and flailing our way on the trail, which is embarrassing. I like biking and kid is really panicked on a bike. Like she jumps off it and lets it clatter to the ground and then it breaks.

We do little neighborhood walks and that's all we can muster at the moment but know we need to do more.

She's in scouts/fencing/summer swim. But it's not enough. How to get more exercise in?

[Anonymous]

Does she like sports at all? My kids like just going to the park and setting up goals and kicking a soccer ball around, or shooting the basketball on the courts at the elementary school. The whole family can do those things together.

You could also see if she prefers a (non-motorized) scooter to the bike. It's less scary because she can always put a foot down. Then you could speed-walk/jog and she could ride the scooter. It's a decent workout, especially if there's hills involved.

My kids are younger, but my understanding is that kids that age love tiktok dances - maybe you guys could learn a tiktok dance together and make a fun video?

Also, don't underestimate the neighborhood walks! Walking is good exercise. You could push it a little further every time.

[Anonymous]

U say she does Sumer swim but is she interested in club swim? Swimming is great exercise! I would keep walking too, maybe give her some kind of ( non food) related incentive to accomplish steps per today or miles walked in a certain time.

[Anonymous]

Do you have a dog? Walking a dog is a good way to distract from the fact that you are walking!

[Anonymous]

Agree with year-round swim.

And keep up the hiking. Set a day and time each week that you go for a family hike and make it fun... bring hot cider or something to enjoy on the trail. Let her pick the trail. Play fun games as you walk or make up a scavenger hunt. Try to get everyone to focus on the peace of nature rather than the exercise. The more you do it, the better it will get. I promise (I have been there)

Also, have you thought about getting her a fitness tracker watch? My 10 yo has an old FitBit and is *obsessed* with competing with me on daily steps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U say she does Sumer swim but is she interested in club swim? Swimming is great exercise! I would keep walking too, maybe give her some kind of ( non food) related incentive to accomplish steps per today or miles walked in a certain time.

I've tried but she won't do year round swim. Believe me I've tried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she like sports at all? My kids like just going to the park and setting up goals and kicking a soccer ball around, or shooting the basketball on the courts at the elementary school. The whole family can do those things together.

You could also see if she prefers a (non-motorized) scooter to the bike. It's less scary because she can always put a foot down. Then you could speed-walk/jog and she could ride the scooter. It's a decent workout, especially if there's hills involved.

My kids are younger, but my understanding is that kids that age love tiktok dances - maybe you guys could learn a tiktok dance together and make a fun video?

Also, don't underestimate the neighborhood walks! Walking is good exercise. You could push it a little further every time.

Yeah - she's fearful and resistant with the scooter too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she like sports at all? My kids like just going to the park and setting up goals and kicking a soccer ball around, or shooting the basketball on the courts at the elementary school. The whole family can do those things together.

You could also see if she prefers a (non-motorized) scooter to the bike. It's less scary because she can always put a foot down. Then you could speed-walk/jog and she could ride the scooter. It's a decent workout, especially if there's hills involved.

My kids are younger, but my understanding is that kids that age love tiktok dances - maybe you guys could learn a tiktok dance together and make a fun video?

Also, don't underestimate the neighborhood walks! Walking is good exercise. You could push it a little further every time.

What about Just Dance on a video game system?

I know it sucks to have to use a screen, but if you do that game for 30 minutes, its fun and your heart rate gets up. Plus, you can all dance together and it gets kind of silly and fun but also exercise

[Anonymous]

Weight lifting? I know that is typically more of a "boy" thing at this age - but let's branch out. Martial arts?

My kids were emphatically against team sports. For a while I did a tuesday thursday or MWF body weight exercises with them. They didn't really like it, but they did it.

How about yoga?

I like the dog idea and the fitbit competition idea!!

[Anonymous]

How about a scooter? Or sometimes, I make my family walk to lunch. We don't live anywhere walkable, so I park somewhere on the W+OD trail and we will walk into Vienna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about a scooter? Or sometimes, I make my family walk to lunch. We don't live anywhere walkable, so I park somewhere on the W+OD trail and we will walk into Vienna. [/

[Anonymous]

Get in the habit of walking to get places if you can. Walk to school in the morning if possible, walk anywhere you are going that is under a mile (but try to build up to 3 miles.)

[Anonymous]

OP, what does your daughter like to do? It's going to be difficult to try to get her to do anything if she doesn't enjoy the activity. At this point, just go for regular walks around your neighborhood.

Do a craft/cooking activity that involves staying on your feet all the time. Does she like to sing or dance, do Tiktok videos together or have her sing while standing.

My 8-year old daughter doesn't love sports or physical activity but she does enjoy singing and dancing and spending time with me. So when we go for a walk, I'll print out lyrics and she'll sing while walking. Or we play some game while walking. I've let her watch dance videos and she dances along and when she crafts, I do notice she is standing up the entire time.

Finally, you and your husband should model behavior. Get into your own fitness regimen. We work out regularly so all my kids try to spend more time with us by joining our physical activities - whether it be dancing, running, lifting weights, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get in the habit of walking to get places if you can. Walk to school in the morning if possible, walk anywhere you are going that is under a mile (but try to build up to 3 miles.)

+1. Don't make it "going for a walk," just use walking as your means of getting places.

[Anonymous]

Get a dog.