Posted April 28, 2011
THEY’RE KIDS, NOT EXCUSES
We don’t need a scientific study to tell us it’s not easy to work out when you have small children, but the University of Minnesota recently gave us one anyway.
The study, published April 11 in the journal “Pediatrics,” found that parents with young children were less active than their childless peers.
But just because it’s harder to workout doesn’t mean it should be sacrificed. MultiCare dietitian Claire Kjeld and wellness coordinator Taryn West recent offered six tips for eating right and staying active even if kids are dominating your time.
–Go for a power walk. Grab the stroller and take a walk around the neighborhood, a park or, if the weather is poor, the mall.
–Plan your meals. This is hard with children, so West and Kjeld suggest making this a priority and cook more on weekends or after kids are in bed so you’ll have healthier leftovers on days when you can’t cook. They say you should base meals and snacks around whole foods (foods that can be easily categorized into one of the food groups — grains, fruit, vegetables, milk and meat/beans). At least three food groups should be represented at each meal.
–Move with your kids. Instead of sitting on the bench watching your child play at the park, get up and get moving. Running around with your child can help get some extra activity.
–Create a home gym. Invest in some dumbbells and exercise DVDs and work out when your child is napping or playing. Even if you can’t devote 30 minutes to exercise then, break your activity into 10-minute increments throughout the day.
–Find other parents to exercise with. An exercise partner keeps you motivated and stay-at-home parent friends are likely looking for an exercise boost, too.
–Minimize your “sometimes foods” such as crackers, cookies, desserts and sugary cereals. Instead, stock your home with fruits, vegetables, yogurt, whole grains, lean meats, beans and low-fat milk.
Craig Hill’s fitness column runs Sundays in The News Tribune and The Olympian. Please submit questions and comments via craig.hill@thenewstribune.com, facebook.com/adventureguys or twitter.com/adventureguys. Get more fitness coverage at blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure, thenewstribune.com/fitness and theolympian.com/getfit.