Resolve to get healthy as a family

By Suzzanne Bull

January is the time of year when millions of Americans make New Year's resolutions to maintain a regular exercise schedule. Then, before you know it, it's February. Where has the resolution gone?

Research shows that making resolutions together as a family or with a supportive group greatly improves success. Interaction and connectedness play a large role in the long-term health and well-being of individual family members.

As families struggle to balance work, family and health, the need to connect with each other is stronger than ever. And, children who develop healthy exercise and eating habits while they are young are more likely to continue to lead healthy lifestyles through adulthood.

This is an ideal time for parents to sit down with their children and commit to making active lives a year-long family priority. Kids are great at keeping the whole family accountable for its commitment.

One of the challenges of staying active as a family at this time of year is finding things to do during cold and wet weather. The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA has some easy tips and suggestions to help families keep their resolutions to being healthy during these winter months:

- Find creative ways to get exercise on a school night. Turn on music after dinner and dance as a family. Have children make up routines and teach the adults new moves.

- Turn a rainy Saturday into a fun, active family day. When kids are home from school-and missing recess-design a family obstacle course. Have each family member race through stations, which might include hula hoop, jump rope, push ups, abdominal crunches, jumping jacks and wall sits. Set a timer and see how fast the whole family can complete the course.

- Make bad weather walks an adventure. Bundle everyone up in warm coats and rubber boots and take a neighborhood hike. Camp Long has wonderful trails and plenty of interesting wildlife. Make a game of trying to spot insects or birds.

- Use pedometers to make walking a fun game. Pedometers are inexpensive tools that allow you to track how many steps you take each day. Kids love competition, and they enjoy keeping track of their success. Wear pedometers during family walks through your neighborhood-or inside a mall during bad weather-and when you return, add up everyone's steps. See if you can beat your family total each week and post the results on your refrigerator. Offer a healthy family reward, such as yogurt parfaits, for meeting weekly goals. Pedometers have been proven in research to significantly increase activity.

- Check out indoor classes and activities in your community. The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA offers affordable one-day passes for non-members to swim, walk the treadmills, play in Kids Gym or take a class. You can find a variety of classes for all ages at the Highpoint and Delridge community centers. Or, take the family bowling at West Seattle Bowl, which is open seven days per week.

Yes, January is almost over. But, it's not too late to make a commitment to being active as a family this year. Make your resolutions stick by finding creative ways to exercise with your kids during these drizzly winter days.

Suzzanne Bull is senior director of Membership, Health and Wellness at the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA. For more information on programs at the YMCA, visit www.westseattleymca.org or call 935-6000.