Getting fit for fun: God made our bodies to work and play, so our bodies crave exercise and reward us by great afterward

Vibrant Life, March-April, 2002 by Sheila Wray Gregoire

My one-and-a-half-year-old never walks. Like most toddlers, Katie jumps, hops, or runs instead. When filming the movie Kindergarten Cop, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was similarly impressed by the enthusiasm of the child actors for the exercise scenes. They enjoyed them so much that the producers added more. Kids, concludes Schwarzenegger, are naturally drawn to exercise.

Yet as we age we often neglect physical activity, and unfortunately our children are copying us. It is now estimated that more than 33 percent of American adults are obese, along with more than 20 percent of children.

Being overweight itself is not the primary health problem; it is that most who are overweight are also physically unfit. The benefits of exercise elude them: a longer life, a lower risk of depression, higher self-esteem, fewer common illnesses, and fewer debilitating illnesses. For children, fitness has also been associated with increased academic performance and decreased undesirable adolescent behaviors, like drinking and smoking.

One of the best legacies we can give our children is the habit of exercise. Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the "father of aerobics," says in his book Kid Fitness that the easiest way to do this is to exercise with them. Exercise then also becomes a time to develop your relationships. With so many families lacking quality time together, exercise provides a wonderful opportunity to have fun together in a nonthreatening environment.

Dr. C. Everett Koop, former surgeon general, says fitness should be a "family value" because of the physical and psychological health it promotes. Yet as wonderful as this sounds, few of us follow through.

Only 10 percent of adults exercise enough to achieve fitness. And only 32 percent of children can pass a basic fitness test. Laziness can't be the problem. Parents today face so many demands that exhaustion is their default state. Instead, I believe our inactivity stems from our attitudes about exercise: it's hard, it's time-consuming, and it's boring.

It's Difficult

My mother-in-law spent her childhood in a rural East Coast town with her 13 siblings. She recalls eating all the traditionally high-fat foods, yet the family did not become overweight because there was simply so much to do to run the household.

Few of us today have such physically demanding lives. A Scottish study found that in the past 25 years energy expenditure has dropped by 800 calories a day. Exercise is hard because it requires more effort than we are used to.

Yet it is not only in our errands that we pass up chances to exercise. Most of us spend leisure time watching TV or playing computer games. When we moved to our new house, our once-central television set was relegated to the basement. As a result my toddler cut her viewing time by about 75 percent, without any effort on our part.

Instead of the television being the focal point of your home, create a central, comfortable place where children are free to jump or wrestle, and set up your own equipment. Then choose to walk, jog, or bike on short outings. Making these small changes allows activity to become a natural part of your life with little extra effort.

It's Time-consuming

The guidelines for exercise used to be intimidating 30minute bursts at least three times a week. Few of us can free up these blocks of time, so we don't even try. However, researcher Steven Blair of the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research in Dallas says that smaller time units may still provide many health benefits. So how much is enough? Blair says, "Doing something is better than doing nothing at all, and doing more is better still." Even 10 minutes at a time, if you keep at it, can build fitness.

We may also shun exercise because it robs us of time to do other things. But exercise can easily be incorporated into other activities, says Janet Waiberg Rankin, associate professor of exercise physiology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Whatever you normally do, just turn the speed a notch higher, and you'll become more fit.

It's Boring

Our final misconception is that exercise is a chore. According to psychologist Keith Johnegard, "inactivity is an unnatural state for human beings." God made our bodies to work and play, so our bodies crave exercise, and reward us by feeling great afterward. With so many ways to stay active, you don't have to try something you hate. Find something that's fun for you, and your children will gravitate to it.

Giving children--and yourself--a harmless way to release energy has one other benefit: it makes household life far more peaceful. You and your children will burn off steam, resulting in less whining, fewer fights, and a quieter household. But perhaps best of all, you will have more energy to accomplish the many other things you need to get done.

Family Exercises

You're pumped to move, you have 10 free minutes, your children are ready, but what activities should you do that constitute "exercise"?

Health expert Dr. Robert Cooper says our bodies need two forms of activities: aerobic exercise to improve your cardiovascular system, and strength training to develop muscle tone and bone density. You know you're exercising aerobically when you can talk, but only with difficulty, while strength training is adequate when you are stretching your muscles beyond your everyday requirements.