Healthy Holidays

Eric Cressey

December 2007

With the holiday season here, staying healthy and active can be a challenge. Here are three simple ideas that can help keep your entire family on track during one of the most hectic times of year!

1. Healthy Holiday Gifts

Holidays are perfect times to give gifts that lead to healthier habits.
A jump rope or new basketball encourages activity far more than a video game. It’s not to say that these “sedentary goodies” aren’t okay in moderation; it’s just to say that we need to have a balance between gifts that encourage development and those that do little to help children grow.
Furthermore, additional pro-activity gifts are great things to have on-hand to reward the positive changes that came after the first “round.”

2. Family Traditions: Family Game Night With A Twist of Activity

With more family and friends around during the holidays, friendly competition can turn into a healthful tradition for years to come. This same fun can carry over to daily or weekly activities that bring people together. From a family football game to a father and son playing one-on-one basketball, the possibilities are endless.

3. Team Family

Last year around the holidays, one of my clients remarked that his eight year-old son was always asking what Daddy did at the gym to get so sweaty. I encouraged my client to bring his son along to watch our next training session, and the boy had a blast. He took part in the warm-up and learned a few of the exercises right alongside his father. As long as appropriate exercises are in place and someone qualified is supervising, “working out” with Daddy (or Mommy) can be a great winter event.

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