Kids Running - Healthy Options

ONE HOUR EVERY DAY
You have the challenge of exercising for at least an hour each day. This means turning OFF the TV, getting up from the computer, rolling out of bed, or pushing out the chair at the kitchen table.

THE LOG
Print 14 copies. Cut out. Punch holes. Bind together with yarn. Keep track of your healthy habits for 2 weeks.

log

It's easy to reach your time goal if you break your exercise into different activities at different times of the day. Here's a sample schedule. Change it. Make it your own. Substitute different activities and time blocks, but try for a week to get your exercise in.

START WITH YOUR PET - 10 minutes or more
Fetch
Rover is being a plain pest. He won't leave you alone. It's really not that he's being bad. He WANTS to exercise. Start your day by taking him out to the back yard for a nice game of fetch. IF he knows how to play, then you can practice your throwing skills. Take a variety of dog toys out: balls of all sizes, Frisbees, and Flippy Floppers. You throw, he retrieves. If he doesn't play fair, then have some fun chasing him.
Walk the Dog
Put your dog on a leash and go for a nice walk either in the back yard or elsewhere. He will love you for it. Let him sniff and explore, for a little, but then put him at "heal" position and practice walking or jogging side-by-side. If he can't do this, then talk Mom or Dad into making it a family goal to take your dog to obedience school.
A Dog Bone
When you return home, reward your dog from a big beef bone from the butcher shop (or meat counter at local grocery store). He'll settle down and be content for a long time.

RIDE YOUR BIKE - 15 minutes or more
Cul de Sac
Can you ride a two-wheeler? If you can't, then get on some kind of vehicle with wheels - a bike with training wheels, scooter, or skates. Ride in your yard or a safe place in the neighborhood. Ride in your yard by yourself, cul de sac with friends, or local park with family. Work your legs on the uphills, and enjoy the free ride going down.
At the Gym
Attend a spin class. Oops, these aren't available to kids in your area? Start asking your health club to provide kid-friendly bikes and classes. These cycling classes are just too much fun. You cycle to good tunes and get different kinds of workouts and you don't need to know how to ride a two-wheeler to be on a stationary bike. These classes should also be provided for children. We have really missed the mark by not doing so.

GO FOR YOUR RUN - 15 mintues or more
Your own Yard
Later in the day, it's time for your run. Find a shady spot and practice your form. Let Rover run by your side. Have some yard races with your siblings, but make it fair. Head starts for the youngest. Are you doing the Log-a-Mile program? Run your 1/2 mile course and fill in a footprint.
On a Nature Trail
Get Mom or Dad up and out of the house. Pile into the car and head for a nice nature trail. Run, and jog. Watch out for the rocks. Observe the change of seasons. And look for patterns that the sun makes in the shadows of trees. What do you see? If you want, Rover can join you. He never gets tired for long. Are you doing the Run the Seasons program? If so, take a snapshot in your mind and draw the image when you go home.

WALKING TIME - 20 minutes or more
In your Neighborhood
The dishes will wait. After supper is a great time to take a family walk. Be great role models for your neighbors. Start out easy while you are still digesting your food, then walk briskly when you are on your way back home. And be sure to let Rover join you.

carolgoodrow@verizon.net