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We all want to teach our children good health habits, but that can sometimes be easier said than done. Giving your kids an understanding of good nutrition, introducing them to healthy foods and providing alternatives to junk food are some of the fundamental elements for healthy living. But nutrition is only half the equation; it’s also important to teach kids to be physically active to keep them from gaining unhealthy weight and allow them to burn off extra energy and stay calm.

Fitness doesn’t have to be fancy

With today’s fitness boom, parents can sometimes get caught up in thinking that fitness has to be fancy. This causes them to worry about trying to find the “best” exercises for children and determining how long they should maintain that exercise. But children don’t have to run on a treadmill or swim for a mile to get the exercise they need. As has always been the case, the best forms of exercise for children come through normal play.

With the lure of inside activities like DVDs and video games, however, kids today may resist a healthy level of play. The activities that seemed so normal to us when we were children may have to be “programmed in” to this generation. If that’s the case with your children, try something as simple as taking them outdoors and letting them run around. If they’re not enthused about playing outdoors, go out and play with them. Games like kick ball or tag are great ways to get started, and will allow you to participate in a natural way. Trips to the park can also encourage outdoor physical activity, because your children may be more likely to be active when there are other kids around or there’s equipment for them to play on.

Sign ‘em up

Organized activities are also effective means to bring more activity to your children’s lives. Sign them up for baseball, football, dance, gymnastics, or any other activity they enjoy. This is good for them both physically and socially, because they get to burn energy while they work on building friendships and learn sportsmanship — all of which will help them throughout their entire lives. Just make sure that they actually want to do the activities, and that their participation doesn’t wear you down in the process. Driving kids from one extracurricular activity to another, week after week, can get difficult over the long haul. If possible, arrange for carpooling before you sign your kids up for activities, so you won’t have to give up due to exhaustion and cause disappointment.

Walkabout

Another good method for sneaking in much-needed exercise for your kids (and you!) is to take daily walks. But they don’t have to be just any old walks. Make them more interesting by bringing a digital camera to capture sites along the way, or just point out and discuss  interesting plant-life, birds or bugs. You can even read about nature at home and then look for real-life examples as you walk. If you make these walks into routine family outings, you’ll build deeper relationships while instilling habits that will last a lifetime.

Remember, children need the same things as adults to remain healthy and fit: good nutrition and exercise. When those two components are consistently in place for the entire family, life will be much happier and healthier as a result.

Written by Don Porter of Ultimate Fitness Gear, Getinsanity and start getting ripped.