Welcome to the latest JA Fitness newsletter. If this is your first experience, the idea is to provide you with information about health and fitness. If you choose to follow the advice, that’s great. If you ignore it but come back to it another time, that’s fine too. The old copies of my newsletter will be stored on my website, so you can always find out information when it is needed.
This month I would like to deal with the growing problem of the lack of exercise for children and how we can encourage this through family activities.
Unfortunately exercise and sports do not seem to be a priority in schools and are mostly carried out through clubs and after school activities. This will only appeal to the active children and it is very easy for the rest to miss out.
Why not start by making Sunday afternoons a family time. Make it a regular event that you all go for walk or a bike ride together and don’t let outside pressures interrupt. Your library will have details of local routes or you could drive out into the country or the seaside, why not take a picnic and a Frisbee too.
You could put this new fitness to some good. There are plenty of sponsored walks for good causes and this would give you all a good reason to keep going.
Another idea is to have a regular cricket, football or rounders game in the local park, invite a few friends and neighbours too. I know that the weather is not always helpful so this could be a time to visit a swimming pool or hire a table tennis table at the local leisure centre. Of course this can be costly so why not ask for family membership as a Christmas present from a grandparent, this would be much more useful than a tin of chocolates or a pair of socks!
This group activity should then encourage the children to be more active generally. Perhaps you could put up a basketball ring and the children could play by themselves. They could also play “chase” or draw hopscotch on the drive. You could organise a treasure hunt in the garden or in the house if the weather is bad. There are plenty of things they can do with a little imagination; the main thing is to get them away from the television or computer games.
I would really be interested in your experiences. Perhaps you would let me know how you are getting on or you can ask me if you need some advice.
If you do not wish to receive future newsletters please send me a message to info@jafitness.co.uk. Likewise if you know someone who would benefit from fitness advice please send me their e-mail address.
I hope you enjoy this information and that it helps to keep you fit, healthy and happy.
Good luck
Jane Ardley
April 2005