Exercise is an extremely beneficial aspect of daily life. It can be challenging to incorporate it into our family’s routine during the colder months or during inclement weather. And with the added restrictions of COVID-19, many families are looking for indoor exercise ideas to get some of the excess energy out.
In this article, we’ll go over the importance of getting our bodies moving and offer some fun and easy indoor exercises the whole family can enjoy.
Importance of Exercise
Sometimes, it can be challenging to motivate yourself to exercise. Here are some good reasons why you should incorporate more movement into your family’s daily routines:
Improve Physical Health
The most obvious benefit of exercise is better physical health. With more time at home, we may find ourselves overindulging in snacks and tasty food. Exercise helps combat some of the adverse effects of junk food by helping you maintain a healthy weight and raise your heart rate to improve your cardiovascular system. As we get older, we face various health issues, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Exercising can help lower our risk for health problems in the future.
Improve Mental Wellness
Exercise is not only good for our physical health, but it also has various benefits for our mental health. Studies have shown that regular exercise can help combat anxiety and depression. With the added benefits of endorphins released during physical activity, you’ll also experience boosts in your mood and energy levels.
Sleep Better
Physical activity also can lead to a better night’s sleep. When we move our bodies, we use up excess energy that may contribute to trouble falling asleep. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime, as the post-workout energy boost may leave you wired while you’re trying to get to sleep.
How to Increase Exercise At Home
Now that we know the benefits of exercising, let’s talk about some easy ways to make physical activity fun for you and your family.
Make it a Priority
First and foremost, it’s vital to make workouts a priority. It can be easy to let it slip your mind or to-do lists, but taking even 15 minutes a day can drastically improve your overall day-to-day life. Sit down with your family, find a time that works well for everyone, and schedule it into your routines.
Make it Fun
Exercise doesn’t have to be grueling and exhausting. Find fun ways to get the whole family moving, like games that require you to get moving or dance parties with your favorite tunes. To make it more interesting, set up a point system for specific exercises and see who gets the highest total.
Set Goals
If you and your family are relatively new to exercise, setting goals can be a great way to get started. Begin with easily obtainable daily goals and slowly work your way up. Through setting goals, you keep the motivation going and have something to be proud of when you achieve them.
Use Online Videos
With the internet at our fingertips, we have unlimited access to both free and paid online workout videos. You can find just about every type of exercise online. Search with your family and you’ll be sure to find workout videos that suit everyone’s needs.
Exercises You Can Do At Home
There are so many exercises you can do in your house with limited or no equipment. If gym membership costs have held you back in the past, check out these inexpensive ways to incorporate exercise in your family’s life.
Bodyweight Exercises
Exercises like push-ups, crunches, lunges, and squats require no equipment and are easy for the whole family to do. These bodyweight exercises are great for goal setting, too. You can make it more motivating and fun by keeping track of how many of each activity everyone in the family does, then look back and see how you’ve all improved over time.
Yoga
Yoga is a versatile and relaxing form of exercise. It can help you improve your flexibility, core strength, and anxiety, making it an excellent physical activity for the whole family. If your family is new to yoga, there are plenty of videos and inexpensive online classes to get you started.
Dancing
If you have young kids who may lose attention during a workout class, dancing is a silly and fun way to get the whole family moving. Put together a playlist and get grooving. Dancing is a great cardiovascular exercise that raises the heart rate and burns lots of calories. Putting on some music and dancing is also a fantastic stress reliever at any age.
Fun Exercise Games
Another way to incorporate physical activity when you have small children is finding some fun physical activities. Games like hopscotch, jumping jacks, and follow-the-leader incorporate exercise into fun games. You’ll improve your physical health, have fun, and get a few laughs at the same time.
Conclusion
Exercise is an essential aspect of our overall physical well-being and mental wellness. But we know that it can be challenging to incorporate workouts into our family’s daily routines. Gym memberships can get expensive, and the weather doesn’t always allow us to go outside to get some energy out.
With these fun and easy indoor exercise ideas, families can incorporate entertaining and creative physical activity into their daily lives. It is vital to make exercise a priority as the benefits speak for themselves. With the internet, we have access to unlimited workout ideas, activities, and online classes. By setting goals and incorporating indoor practices into your family’s routine, you’ll start to see the benefits in no time.
