It’s here: March Madness is taking over, and who among us doesn’t entertain a thought of playing basketball just like the pros? Basketball is a great sport that promotes hand/eye coordination, speed, agility and teamwork. Why not plan a family activity night that includes some of these great games – challenge your kids to a hoop showdown!
H.O.R.S.E – One player takes the shot of her choice; if she makes it, the other players must shoot in exactly the same manner and from the same location. If the player misses the shot, he receives a letter of the word “horse”; if he makes it, players continue on without a letter. The first player to spell the entire word HORSE is the loser.
Around the World – Pick locations on the court for players to shoot from; the first player to make shots from each of the spots wins. If someone misses a shot, they are out and the game continues until a player makes all shots.
As Spring Break and summer vacation approach, both parents and kids wonder what their next vacation adventure will bring. Planning a family vacation can be a lot of work. This is especially true when you’re trying to find a place that both the kids and adults will enjoy without breaking the bank.
Something that might be helpful when looking for a good spot for the family to spend their vacation is looking for a place that allows you to get in plenty of activity. Finding healthy vacation spots that are family-friendly can be an undertaking but it’s perfectly doable. The places listed below are great for families wanting to enjoy a variety of activities while on vacation. Being away from home allows you time to explore things you don’t regularly get to do and create great memories.
Hollywood & Vine restaurant; Image via DisneyWorld.com
When it comes to amusement parks, roller coasters and funnel cakes are common sites, but healthy low calorie food is not. Yet, mega-fun spot Disney World is a trailblazer leading the way in offering healthy fare to its millions of enthusiastic guests.
If you’re taking the kids to Disney World for a vacation, you don’t have to derail your diet like a malfunctioning roller coaster. In fact, the Florida park has plenty to offer both health-minded folks and the not-so health-minded kids. Here is a look at how to navigate your way through Disney World so that even if you blow your budget, you don’t have to blow your diet. (more…)
The time between Christmas and New Year’s is always the hardest time to eat healthy. Why is that? Is it because there’s temptation all around? Sometimes, yes. Is it because we have less time to work out and cook healthy meals? For sure. But what’s the No. 1 reason we all seem to struggle this time of year? Guilt.
We feel bad telling our grandmother that we have to forgo her famous mashed potatoes with lots of salt, butter and cream. Or that we can’t eat our aunt’s prized pecan pie. Or we even feel bad for not baking the family’s sugar cookie recipe that we always make. Change is hard, and in a lot of families, people’s feelings get hurt when you don’t act as though you have in the past. It’s a cliché, but in many ways it’s true: Food is love.
I’ve had my dog for almost three years now and while I’ve always been quite active, I can say, without a doubt, she has taken my workouts in a different — and better — direction.
Before I owned a dog, I would get at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week, but it was always formal exercise either teaching a group exercise class or doing a workout DVD. With a dog though, it’s less “working out” and more “play.” Once we got her as a puppy, my husband and I immediately started taking her on regular morning and afternoon walks, in addition to playing fetch or soccer in the backyard and tug-of-water while watching the latest episode of The Biggest Loser on DVR. In essence, she turned my workouts into life, everyday life. (more…)
Chicken is often considered a low-fat, low-cholesterol alternative to beef or red meat, but some cuts of chicken actually have as much, if not more fat. If you’re trying to cut back on fat and calories, skinless white-meat poultry offers a great low-fat protein option. If you’re also on a budget, roasted chicken is a simple, economical and time-efficient meal ingredient, especially for a family.
If you’re cooking for one or two, a roasted chicken can sometimes produce more meat than you can finish in one meal. Roasted chicken is versatile and you can easily turn one bird into multiple healthy meals. (more…)
There was a time in history when $25 would have fed a family of 5 for a week or more. Times have changed and money just doesn’t go as far these days. Often, many families have a strict budget for meals, and they find themselves cutting out key nutrition in order to get those budget numbers to line up.
Recently, Whole Foods Markets initiated a challenge to feed a family of 5 a nutritious, healthy dinner for $25. That’s more difficult than it sounds. Sure, if you served Ramen noodles and canned pears, it can be done – especially if three of the family members are under the age of five. But what if you wanted to serve a nutritious, well-balanced meal? A meal that covered all of the key elements, was delicious and filling, and you have three teenagers? Do you think it could be accomplished? (more…)
For school kids and teachers, it may seem like there is so much more time in the summer months, making it a perfect time to introduce a new habit (like daily physical activity) into your schedule. Yet, the summer months seem to fill up quickly with vacations, festivals, cookouts, events, and trips.
This weekend in Indianapolis, there wasn’t any way for me to physically make all the great community events. Beautiful weather entices us to spend time outdoors, but are we getting enough activity to keep us on track with our weight loss goals and balance the extra calories we encounter at festivals, cookouts, and summer drinks? Here are three ways you can squeeze exercise into your summer schedule:
If you have children, you may have taken advantage of the school year to develop a killer workout schedule. Drop the kids off at school, head to the gym for an intense workout, head home to shower – it’s much easier to get it all done when you are only responsible for yourself. (Ask me how I know this. Sigh.)
When summer arrives, those kids are home and clamoring for attention, activities, pool time and unlimited Popsicles – and there may be precious little time for your workouts. Don’t give up, though; the warmer weather and the ’round the clock presence of your children doesn’t have to put an end to your fitness endeavors. Before you abandon all hope, here are some great ways to get it all done:
When we think of computers and television, we tend to think of sitting on our bums, moving maybe just our hands to press a remote control button or move our mouse pad. But (and fortunately), the industry of Wii games have helped to turn a sedentary and solitary pasttime into a fitness activity for the entire family.
And JumpStart is jumping on this technology bandwagon as a way to improve kid’s health.
From a diabetic Apache family living on a reservation, to a cash-strapped family in Detroit, Jillian provides a wake-up call for eight families across America and helps them transform their lives inside and out.
On the show, you’ll get to see how she made cooking fun and nutritious with kids who normally follow a diet of white bread, sugary cereals and soda pop. In addition, each episode will equip the viewing audience with tips, exercise ideas and resources like healthy shopping lists and recipes that can all be accessed online.
Listen here as Jillian discusses the first healthy step all families can start taking today, and her suggestions for dealing with a family member who is resistant to healthy change.
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