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I am worried about physical fitness


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When I was a child, and even college aged person, I was always on the move. Summers were for running outside. School years, well, didn't go outside much, did go sledding and stuff. Regardless, I was in great shape.

 

As an adult, I am quite overweight. But I come from a long line of overweight people and I work hard to maintain just what I am at. When I was 22 and 23 years old, I was still running every day, a long distance. I was hiking all over the place in my 30's. We had many outdoor times. When I was in my late 30's, I took the kids to the lake and offered to race them to the rope. I made it..my teens did not! They did not even make it half way when they had to stop because they could not swim further. 

 

Now last night, my 17 yr old had been telling me she wanted to start running. She went on a route that I can still go now, despite being quite overweight (and she is not overweight). She could not do it. I was not with her, but she came back totally exhausted and told me she had an awful time.

 

And I do not think my 9 and 12 yr olds can do much. I try to get them to at least go ride their bikes, but they last 5-10 minutes. We live in the south now, so they can be out riding their bikes already.

 

I have them in Karate twice a week. Then the one goes to dance once a week. Outside of them, they are extremely sedentary. I am worried. What else can I do? Money is limited. I am thinking all these classes are not doing a ton anyway. The 9 yr old has a dance class (45 minutes) on the same day as karate (45 minutes) and claims it is too much for him. This frustrates me! He should be able to get out there for 1.5 hrs...spread out throughout the day (Karate is 3:15-4 and dance is 6:45-7:30).

 

I would love ideas, suggestions, and to know what everyone else does. Thanks!!

 

I should add..I fell and cracked my knee when I was pregnant with my littlest so my mobility is now a little limited. But if these children are in this kind of shape now, things will be dreadful by the time they turn 20.  

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What are their diets like?  If they are dehydrated or don't have a balanced diet then intense activity can quickly deplete what energy they do have.  Also, with something like running its really something you have to build up to.  Deciding to run one day and expecting to be able to run 2 miles straight isn't likely to happen

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I agree they have to build up to it. Choose free/inexpensive exercise that they can fit into their schedule like walking, jogging, biking, hiking, lifting light weights rather than scheduled activities. Encourage them to walk 15 minutes every day for a week, then up it to twenty the next week. Keep increasing incrementally. Then they should walk for 15 minutes, jog for 5, walk for 15. Slow and steady and doable will win the race. You can't make the race so hard they give up on the starting line.

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That is just my daughter who tried running. But it is everyone. It seems as if the only exercise they get at all ever is what I pay money for them to get. I cannot afford that. And they should be moving more than the 45 minutes twice a week that I pay for,

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There are lots of other ways to get free (or relatively free) exercises w/o running.

 

Could you get a bike and ride with them?  Or have them ride while you walk?  I'd aim for doing that as many days of the week as possible.

 

When youngest DS was still homeschooling one of the best things I ever did was buy a cheap jump rope and make a game of it.  I started out trying to get him to make just a few jumps w/o missing and built up from there.  And then the goal was to jump a minimum number of times (like 100, and then 150, 200, etc.), and we'd laugh or cheer depending on how long (or not) it took to reach the goal.  If he had a day where he flubbed every other jump we made a good laugh out of it.  We always kept it lighthearted and fun, and I don't think he realized how much exercise he was getting.  I had him jump in the garage so weather wasn't an issue (with DH gone to work, there was plenty of room).

 

We also did planks, which are really great for building core strength. That one I did with him and we challenged each other to hold it the longest (I can't jump rope due to vertigo issues).

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Starting anything for the first time is going to be difficult even if one is in good shape. Establishing a new pattern is hard work. I've looked at running/jogging several times in my life, and during my last go around I found an interval training method that made a lot of sense. One starts out walking, then switch to running until breathing becomes difficult, then switch back to walking to recover. Once recovered, begin running again to repeat the process. Do these intervals for 15-20 min building with each session. I did not continue with running because I discovered swimming. 

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At some point I had to put it on their assignment sheets.  30 minutes of activity had to be checked off before their school day was done.  There are a few states that require 2 credits of PE in high school.  I told my kids this was my requirement and that 2 credits was 300 hours (it doesn't have to be that much but I felt it should be for them).  They have been free to try different things and we discuss all the possibilities but the amount is required.  Like the others have said, building up to it is just fine.

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At their ages, I would assign it as gym class credits. I would give them a workout to do, maybe working out certain muscles on MWF and others TTH. Plus something aerobic. Maybe the couch to 5k training program or something similar. OR if your kids would like a cooperative challenge, you could make a chart where they keep track of their running and try to run up a total of 100 miles (or whatever) then they earn a reward which could be something like going to a rock climbing gym or something else active. If they all go out and run a mile together then that would be three miles on their chart. Or they can compete against each other....there are lots of things online that you can find where people have made up challenges like this. They can get certain numbers of points for things like 15 min. running, 10 push-ups, 20 jumping jacks, or whatever.

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I hear ya.  We aren't very sedentary, and never have been, but I have had to work extremely hard, constantly, to get everyone moving.  We lived in a hot climate that made that even harder!  We took walks  in the morning, jogged in the afternoon, and went to the pool at least 2 hours a day during all the hottest times.

 

Now, we live in a wonderful climate and my rule is a minimum of two hours outside per day. We go to the park and they are required to do laps. After that they can play and if their play isn't very strenuous, it concerns me but there's not much I can do.

 

THis is why I am doing everything in my power, right now, to get them onto a swim team.  Kids this age need tons of exercise.  Even with jogging, walking scootering, and hiking on weekends, I still know it's not enough because they get moody and they don't sleep as well.  However, if they have a one hour swim lesson, everyone is in a better mood!  And everyone sleeps better!  Getting them onto the swim team is a big effort.  It has already required hundreds of dollars of private lessons and may require more hundreds of dollars of lessons.  

 

If you can't afford or don't have access to something like swim lessons, then try instituting daily jogging.  My kids like it.  My son, especially.  You have to start small and work up though.  My kids can now jog 1/2 mile easily but we started out at a lot less than that!  Jogging isn't the best sport as far as the limbs and ankles, so don't overdo it either.  

 

The biggest thing, is to do it every day and not make excuses for yourself.  Many afternoons, I would rather sit here on my computer than go to the park, but it's not something I consider to be optional, so, thankfully, we go.  If they have a one hour swim lesson, they are not required to run laps though.  

 

 

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Just remember that skinny does not equal physically fit.  I was/am one of those unfit skinny people that can't run a straight mile to save myself.  Odds are the 17 yo took off too fast and didn't listen to her body.  Running isn't sprinting constantly.  Get her the Couch to 5K (lots of free info and downloads) program and let her know that if she cannot do the first set of intervals to SLOW DOWN until she can.  It may honestly feel much more like walking really quickly then "running" to begin with.  If you are really concerned with the other kids, you could all make it a family affair and everyone get out and do the program. 

 

Don't knock a karate workout.  What rank is your DS?  I know they can knock me on my rear and they focus heavily on leg work just as dance would.  Is it possible to have him do a different dance class on a day opposite of his karate?

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DS7 was always always off the charts on the weight curves as a baby. The pediatrician told us not to worry since DW and I were fit. She felt that was the best predictor of weight problems down the road. DS's weight came down during the years we lived in Seatlle. Walking everywhere, bikable, etc etc... We live in KY for a couple of years and everyone's weight went up, no sidewalks, nowhere to walk to, bad culture, etc... moved to Minneapolis... walkable/bikable neighborhoods, urban hiking, parks etc... DS went ~2 years at the same weight with only height gains... he is still solid but if we were still in the south he would be fat. My point is that alot of this is context dependent. You need to model fitness goals for your kids. Ideally your local culture reinforces this. If not your family habits are even more important.

 

Maybe try adding in after dinner walks on a regular basis... biking is low impact and fun... Weekend bike rides... Hiking... It depends on what resources you have locally... Parks, bike trails, state park hiking, swimming, etc... Find an activity and try to make it  family priority.

 

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It's so true that the type of neighborhood and climate can be a HUGE factor in your physical health and exercise.  Hot, humid climates were an exercise black hole for our family.  The walkable neighborhoods with street lights and walking signs that actually WORK, the nice weather, the local hiking trails, have been a huge boon.

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The teen years are really hard... but what are your younger kids doing in their free time? How much screen time do they have? Outdoor activities may pale compared to xbox and tv. If you can scale that back, your kids will be bored. This means they can either be more active outside, read more, or find other interests to occupy their time. No guarantees, but it certainly increases the odds your kids will be active and the other options aren't bad either.

 

PS. I'm not saying your kids have to much screen time...maybe they are busy with school or church or whatever... but it is something to consider.

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Have your daughter do couch to 5k.  I'm a seasoned runner, and I do that program every time I have to stop running for an extended period of time.  It's an easy program, and builds you up to running 3 miles.  Does she have a smart phone she can use? There is a cheap c25K app.  If not, she could print it out and just follow with a watch.

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Walk, walk, walk. I have lived in places where people walk, and I have lived in places where people never walk. People who walk are fit.

 

I'm in a major city now. If you cannot walk, or afford a driver, you have to move. Period. Even people with cars have to walk; parking is far from where they want to go.

 

Forced walking is easier than planned walking for sure. I'm forced to log many miles each week. I have no choice. I also have to carry heavy loads long distances. In my later 40s I'm more fit than I was in my 20s when I was living in a suburbs.

 

I used to send my boys out for a walk every morning after Family Worship and before they started their math. it helped.

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Another example.  At the height of my best physical fitness I remember visiting my boyfriend (now husband) in Germany.  We would spend hours walking through cities and despite my tip top shape it felt like my  legs were going to fall off. My explanation is that the conditions were not what I was entirely used to.  I didn't have the proper shoes and it was a lot of walking on hard pavement.  That's not like running on a special track or using a machine.  I bet if I did that more regularly I'd get used to it.

 

This is what I mean by context, either cultural or familial.

 

We have friends who are broadly speaking from either Dallas or exurban Chicago...always somewhat plump... lived in Utrecht for a year and lost 20+lbs... moved back to St Louis and gained it all back and more.... now are living on the Tibetan Plateau and are down 20+lbs. This isn't only a personal discipline issue... The cultural context is important.

 

Absent moving, you need to try to instill these same habits in your kids. Yes, they will piss and moan for the first few months but eventually it will become the new normal. This doesn't guarantee they will keep it up down the road but it increases the odds.

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Have your daughter do couch to 5k.  I'm a seasoned runner, and I do that program every time I have to stop running for an extended period of time.  It's an easy program, and builds you up to running 3 miles.  Does she have a smart phone she can use? There is a cheap c25K app.  If not, she could print it out and just follow with a watch.

 

I agree!... theRunner's World/ Galloway style run x walk y programs are great. DW has started from an unimpressive highschool and college background and is now running ultramarathons. The older and supportive trail running community is certainly a factor but it is possible regardless. My mother in law has gone from inactive to being an impressive cancer survivor runner in New England... running marathons etc.

 

If you have extroverted kids, the running community is welcoming. The trail running community is excessively so.

 

Likewise for cycling, the gravel racing or cyclocross community, if they exist, is welcoming enough to draw in my extremely introverted self.

 

Finding your people is the key...maybe they are runners or bikers.... maybe they are hikers or outdoorsmen... or fencers or martial artists... or skiers or whatever... keep looking until you find a match.

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Now last night, my 17 yr old had been telling me she wanted to start running. She went on a route that I can still go now, despite being quite overweight (and she is not overweight). She could not do it. I was not with her, but she came back totally exhausted and told me she had an awful time.

 

Endurance and stamina needs to be build up over time. Did she do the warm-ups and cool down exercises as well as wear a fitting running shoes? Does your 9 year old does his Karate and dance exercise daily or only when he goes for classes? 

 

My 8 and 9 year old would spend 2 hours at the park's play area running around playing tag, do the zip line multiple times, do chin ups and climb on the "spider web" structure on most days. I try to plan for hikes and tempt them by adding geocaching and nature photography to their hikes. We have plenty of places to hike around here from the easy terrain to the harder ones.

 

 

I'm in a major city now. If you cannot walk, or afford a driver, you have to move. Period. Even people with cars have to walk; parking is far from where they want to go.

 

:iagree: walking and good public transport are life savers in big cities.

Hubby had to drop us off at the library many times because library parking was full.  We had to park at a supermarket parking lot and walk across to the library a few times :lol:

In San Francisco, the parking charges are so high it just makes more sense to walk than to drive. Besides we had problems finding a parking lot there.

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I understand your concerns.  Walking would be a good first thing to try.  It is free and you can go at your own pace.

 

We are sorta stuck here.  This winter we were cross country skiing 5-6 days a week which is a great workout.  In the summer we are very active outside with the horses, doing chores, walking, etc.  Right now though there isn't enough quality snow to ski but we still have snow and ice everywhere with temps running 20 degrees below normal.  Add in rain/snow/freezing rain and it is hard to get outside and sad to say, I am not very motivated to exercise inside.  I did do an exercise ball class last fall and this winter twice a week but that is done now.

 

Do you have parks, nature trails, sidewalks, etc to walk?

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I adapt a C25K app to whatever new cardio exercise we are trying. 1 minute on, two minutes off makes it a lot more palatable in the beginning. Hearing a voice tell me to stop and go, so I don't have to watch a clock, is nice too.

Kettle bell swinging is fun and not too expensive, same with skipping ropes, skippits, pogo sticks. I like to alternate between cardio and toning. The muscle building really helps with weight loss, if that's an issue.

Do you own any fitness equipment like a treadmill or elliptical? C25K it if you do. I alternate rebounding with pacing, or elliptical with pacing (walking indoors).

Step counters are good motivators. Wear it for a week without deliberately doing additional exercise to find your daily average steps then add 2000/day to your average, when that gets easy, add another 1-2000.

There is also a good book called Homeschool Family Fitness. Written by a hs dad/pe teacher. He adapts games, sports, drills and ball handling skills to a hs setting, without specialized equipment or large groups of kids. Really like this book.

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