By Daily Press staff
The holidays are the most difficult time to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle in the Santa Monica area. Just as adults try to watch their waistlines, their mouths water over pumpkin pie. While the focus in December is always on adult weight gain, sometimes parents forget that children are equally at risk.
“Kids can also struggle with weight gain after indulging in food and desserts high in calories and fat,” explained Matt Hendison, vice president of marketing for My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, a renowned children’s fitness centers. “With the rise in childhood obesity, it’s essential that parents help their children to get off the couch and on the move.”
Hendison offers fitness tips for Santa Monica-area kids this holiday season. ■ Walk while you shop. It’s gift-giving season, so when you’re at the mall, make sure your child is walking everywhere. Eliminate the stroller if your child is old enough to walk. ■ Play with your child. Most kids are on holiday break so take them outside to a playground or in your backyard. Throw and catch, play tag or hopscotch. Build a sand castle or a snowman. ■ Exercise with your kids. Studies prove that if you let your children see you keeping fit, they will want to do the same. ■ Exercise while doing chores. Holidays can be a busy cleaning time. ■ Wash or put away the dishes. ■ Fold laundry. ■ Sweep or vacuum the house; mop. ■ It’s cold outside, so build a fire. Have kids stack or carry in wood for building fires. ■ Marketing and cooking is a must during the holidays. Have kids help carry the groceries, from the car to the house. While you’re cooking, ask your kids to get involved. ■ Holidays are a happy time, so laugh. Laughing burns calories and builds stomach muscles.
My Gym Children’s Fitness Centers offer a wide variety of physical early learning/pre-gymnastics classes. Named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s fastest growing franchises in 2003, My Gym currently has more than 130 locations in the United States and several international locations. For more information about My Gym, visit www.my-gym.com.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 24, 2004. Read the original PDF.