Women's Health

Family Fitness Made Fun

8 Ways to Get Started on Family Fitness continued...

Whatever you choose, the latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that kids engage in at least one hour of aerobic activities a day. At least three days a week those activities should be vigorous. Young people should also shoot for doing muscle-strengthening activities at least three days a week.

That may seem like a tall order, especially for kids hooked on videogames or computer pastimes. But the benefits of becoming more active as a family are enormous. Studies show that active children and adolescents are fitter, have stronger bones, better cardiovascular health, lower risk of developing insulin resistance, and overall healthier body composition. They’re also more self-confident and less prone to suffering depression.