Fit Family Summer

Just add water for a fit family summer

Today is the summer solstice marking the official beginning of summer. We get kids out of school for the next 1 1/2  -2 months.

What will you and your family do this summer?

Any season is the right season for family time, but summer is an especially good season for family togetherness and fun. Summer is also a good time to ramp up fitness for you and the rest of the family.

A summer vacation doesn't have to be all about lounging around the pool or being lazy. A vacation can be a great time to be active and work on your own fitness. Also, a vacation is a perfect opportunity to spark a child's interest in the outdoors and an active life.

In these days of a tighter economy, a vacation may not be possible for everyone. However, there are still plenty of opportunities to spend active time together as a family whether or not on vacation. There are many options close to home and on a budget that are available during the summer.

Swimming pools are the perfect place to play and be active. Spending time with your family at the pool has so many potential pay-offs. Water safety is a very important reality of children and families. Make this summer about helping your child learn to swim or boosting swimming skills. You may discover your child is the next Michael Phelps.

The pool is a great place for games like water polo or marco polo. A hour or so of an active water game boosts everyone's metabolism.

Summer is a great time for hiking as well. A hike is a great time to enjoy nature and spend time together. A brisk several mile hike - especially on more difficult terrain - is another inexpensive option.

Backyard games like volleyball or badminton combined with a dash of healthy food is another quick, inexpensive idea.

Creativity and motivation are really all that's necessary to make this a fun family summer.

ENJOY THE SEASON!

More on Fitness Roadblocks

What happens when you let yourself go? 

Drew Manning before and after 

I wrote about my own fitness frustrations in the prior post. Time is a large roadblock for me in my quest for a better level of fitness. It is a temptation for many including me to just give up.

Many people don't even make the effort. The responses in the Biggest Loser contestant survey found over half of respondents didn't exercise at all. 

Imagine what kind of frustration and challenge it would be to be really fit and then lose it all. That's exactly what personal trainer, Drew Manning, did... ON PURPOSE!

Drew stopped exercising and ate poorly and in six months put on an amazing 75 lbs. The above before and after picture show the amazing transformation.

I discovered Drew's story on the blisstree website, and you can read the full story. The things that struck me the most in Drew's story were his loss off stamina as well as his change in mood.

Drew's story has a happy ending. He went on to lose all the excess weight and return to a healthy state. He shares his story and fitness tips on his website, fit2fat2fit. You can also checkout his book (affiliate link).

Fit2Fat2Fit

Dealing with Fitness Roadblocks

Summer Here We Come 

The unofficial start of summer is already here with the end of school, and the official season start of summer is only a week or so away. 

Is your body prepared for summer? 

My answer to the question is, No. 

No, my body is not as ready as I hoped it would be. I could feel better at the pool or beach by comparing myself to overweight and less fit. That bit of mental coping won't ultimately help me in my fitness journey. Reality is that all of us will ebb and flow in our efforts and our success. Staying committed and putting out consistent efforts are the keys to success. 

Is someone ever too far gone to begin or resume a fitness journey?  The answer from the Biggest Loser show is  no. What's your answer?