And I don't mean video games.
I've been reading a lot lately about playing like a kid for exercise and it all makes sense. I look at my boyfriend's seven year old son who can't sit still 90% of the time. He summersaults across the entire house (hardwood floor included!), jumps around while playing video games, runs almost everywhere and loves to scooter around the driveway. You know what? He's strong AND slim. Oh, and he sleeps like a rock.
I remember being a kid and being on the go constantly. Rainy days and extremely cold days were torturous without a good book to read with my dog on my lap. We literally cried and begged our parents to let us play outside just five more minutes, even when the sun was gone from the sky, our stomachs were growling and we were getting tired.
My sister and I rode bikes around the neighborhood, played hockey on our rollerblades, had food races, played basketball, and chased our friends around the local jungle gym. We ate whatever we wanted to and were slim, healthy kids. We were also happy because we were always moving.
The fond memories from childhood come not from playing video games for hours on end or from having the most expensive pair of jeans (remember Gibeaus?). The best memories come from chasing your friends around, beating someone in a hula hoop contest or having calloused hands from too many hours on the monkey bars.
This brings me to my fitness plan for the more pleasant seasons coming up here in Minnesota. Yes, I do think spring will come! Anyway, I'm going to play like a kid. I was already planning on utilizing the jungle gym as a way to train for Warrior Dash, but then I thought about what else I'd like to spend more time doing this summer. It sure didn't involve exercising to a DVD in my basement or running on my treadmill.
I want to ride my bike, run outside, hike, hula hoop, play tennis, do cartwheels, jump rope and ride my horse. It's going to be all about fun! Exercising isn't going to feel like work. We all know we stick to the exercises that are fun over the ones we don't care for; hence the Zumba craze.
I encourage all of you to watch how the kids around you play and copy it. Sure, it might mean looking silly to those boring adults around you, but I guarantee you'll have more fun and it will lift your mood. Let's be kids again, even if it's only for a few minutes a day. I double dog dare you!
I've been reading a lot lately about playing like a kid for exercise and it all makes sense. I look at my boyfriend's seven year old son who can't sit still 90% of the time. He summersaults across the entire house (hardwood floor included!), jumps around while playing video games, runs almost everywhere and loves to scooter around the driveway. You know what? He's strong AND slim. Oh, and he sleeps like a rock.
I remember being a kid and being on the go constantly. Rainy days and extremely cold days were torturous without a good book to read with my dog on my lap. We literally cried and begged our parents to let us play outside just five more minutes, even when the sun was gone from the sky, our stomachs were growling and we were getting tired.
My sister and I rode bikes around the neighborhood, played hockey on our rollerblades, had food races, played basketball, and chased our friends around the local jungle gym. We ate whatever we wanted to and were slim, healthy kids. We were also happy because we were always moving.
The fond memories from childhood come not from playing video games for hours on end or from having the most expensive pair of jeans (remember Gibeaus?). The best memories come from chasing your friends around, beating someone in a hula hoop contest or having calloused hands from too many hours on the monkey bars.
This brings me to my fitness plan for the more pleasant seasons coming up here in Minnesota. Yes, I do think spring will come! Anyway, I'm going to play like a kid. I was already planning on utilizing the jungle gym as a way to train for Warrior Dash, but then I thought about what else I'd like to spend more time doing this summer. It sure didn't involve exercising to a DVD in my basement or running on my treadmill.
I want to ride my bike, run outside, hike, hula hoop, play tennis, do cartwheels, jump rope and ride my horse. It's going to be all about fun! Exercising isn't going to feel like work. We all know we stick to the exercises that are fun over the ones we don't care for; hence the Zumba craze.
I encourage all of you to watch how the kids around you play and copy it. Sure, it might mean looking silly to those boring adults around you, but I guarantee you'll have more fun and it will lift your mood. Let's be kids again, even if it's only for a few minutes a day. I double dog dare you!
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