Las Vegas YMCA Blog

4 Tips for Working Out as a Family

Written by The Y | Nov 8, 2021 9:43:18 PM

Working out as a family is an excellent way to bond while staying fit. Unfortunately, working out as a family can be challenging due to responsibilities. Juggling between parental responsibilities, job, school, and commuting can make it difficult for you and your family to make time for fitness. If you are finding it difficult maintaining family fitness in Las Vegas, here are a few tips you can use to help you work out consistently as a family.

1. Come Up With Family Fitness Goals

The best way to approach family fitness in Las Vegas is by setting family fitness goals. They not only help you stay grounded and motivated but also provide you and your loved ones a means to monitor your fitness journey progress. Ensure the goals are realistic and sustainable to avoid frustrations that may ruin your progress and morale.

Before starting your workout routine, everyone should write down their goals. For example, you may want to

be jogging and covering a specific distance in a week. The goals may also be food-related, such as avoiding sugar or junk. Once you have your family fitness goals, you can keep each other accountable and mark the progress to ensure you achieve them.

2. Find Age-Appropriate Exercises

Look for age-appropriate exercise for the different age groups in your family. While there are numerous exercise options, remember that some may be too intense or advanced for kids or adults 65 and older. With this in mind, always ensure the exercises your family members engage in are ideal for their ages.

Younger kids and teenagers can jump and run around for at least an hour every day for at least three days a week. Adults from 18 to 64 years can comfortably perform numerous exercises and require at least 2 hours 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercises and strength training.

If you have senior family members, 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity workouts are ideal. Include exercises that improve balance for older family members at least twice a week.

3. Set Up Active Family Gatherings

To successfully create a family fitness routine, you need to make the exercise a collective affair. The best way to do this is by identifying a time when all family members are available and setting it aside for exercising. You can reserve between 15 to 30 minutes every day for family fitness. To prepare for these active family gatherings, create a list of fun exercise activities for every session and stick to the routine.

When you can’t work out as a family, you can use fitness gadgets to keep yourself accountable. Alternatively, you can enroll in family-friendly gyms. The Las Vegas YMCA, for example, offers an ideal environment for family workouts, including a kids’ gym and group exercise classes that you can join as part of your family fitness in Las Vegas.

4. Go Easy on the Kids

Children are naturally active. Therefore, you don’t need to subject them to a vigorous or intense fitness routine. Avoid pushing the kids’ limits too hard, especially when they are worn out or can’t seem to get some exercises right can’t.

Allow the young ones to rest, and you can continue the activities in the next session. Also, instead of criticism, focus on positive reinforcements and praise effort instead of results. Doing so will keep the kids motivated and prevent the frustration that may make them give up or view exercise as a chore or punishment.

Besides helping you stay fit, working out helps you lose weight, improves your blood circulation, and keeps you stay healthy. It also improves your mood and outlook on life. With the above tips, you can successfully work out as family fitness and reap the benefits. Explore YMCA Las Vegas memberships today!