Make it a Habit

I've talked before about switching healthy food for unhealthy ones. We also need to replace sedintary habits with active ones.

We are creatures of habit. When my first child was born I stopped working outside the home. Even though I no longer had a "schedule" I found myself naturally settling into patterns. I ate at the same time, cleaned at the same time, wrote at the same time, and put my daughter down for a nap and watched tv at the same time. Unless I went to visit a friend, it was pretty much the same everyday.

Once we create a healthy habit, doing it requires little effort. It's almost automatic. Here are some healthy habits that can get your family moving.

• Instead of coming straight home from school, have your children play for 20 min on the playground or stop at the park on the way home. If they're bussed send them straight to the yard after their snack.
• End running errands with a stop at the park.
• Take walk after dinner instead of turning on the tv
• Do somthing outdoors or active as a family every weekend. 
• Sign up for a class. (pay for help in developing a habit)
• Make it a habit to go outside with your kids when they go out to play. You can sit and read, sunbathe, or do some gardening. Even if you're not playing with them, your presence tells them this is the best place to be.

Weekend Romps: Snow Games

Just because there's snow in the backyard, doesn't mean you can't use it. My kids definitely get a little stir-crazy in the winter. Here are some fun backyard games to play in the snow.

• Snowman Wars -- This is a combo of steal the flag, and a snowball fight. Each team builds a snowman and the object of the game is to steal the hat off the other team's snowman. If you get hit by a snowball you're in jail.
• Natural Bridges -- Pack snow into snow arches (you may need to use some water to melt out the middle). Roll or kick a ball through the arches for a variation on croquet. If the arches are big enough kids can crawl through for a snow obstacle course.
• Tug the Scarf -- Just like tug the rope, but with a scarf and a softer landing. With your boots stomp a shallow trench in the snow. Divide into two teams and pull on the scarf. One team tries to pull the other over the trench.
• Abominable Snowman tracker -- Give one kid a headstart, then the other kids try to track him. The first one to find the Abominable Snowman is the next one to hide.

Provide some hot chocolate and maybe a space heater on the patio and let your kids enjoy the fresh crisp air.

Active Tips for a Healthy New Year

A healthy, active lifestyle is one of the best things you can give your family this year. Active kids focus better, sleep better, have fewer health problems and take that active lifestyle with them into adulthood. Applying the principal of kinetic energy to our bodies, the more active a lifestyle we have, the more energy we'll have and the better we'll feel.

If your New Years resolution includes getting your kids off the couch and away from the screen, here are some tips.

1. Establish a No Drive Zone around your house.

This is the distance you can easily walk or ride a bike or scooter -- even if you have to bundle up. It should be at least a few blocks, it could be up to a half mile. You'll get more exercise, save wear and tear on your car, and be kinder to the environment.

2. Sign-up.

Joining a sports team, signing up for a weekly yoga class, or joining a play group at the park will put an active lifestyle on your schedule. Look around your community for things that interest you, or start your own group. Moms in my neighborhood started a hiking group for moms with kids and loved getting outside to enjoy nature.

3. Swap it.

Swap fresh fruits or vegetables for one of your snacks each day. My kids know that after school they have to have some fruit before they have anything else.

Swap 1/2 hour of active time with your kids' after school t.v. habit. They'll be able to focus on chores and homework better and go to sleep more quickly at night.