Family Fitness Makeover

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

By Phil Williams

Wondering how the Williams family is doing on their quest for a healthier lifestyle? If slow and steady wins the race then the Williams family is on their way.

We started our journey with a quick family meeting to make sure we were all on the same page. My wife Helen and I were both ready and willing but we weren't sure what the kid would have to say. It turned out that they were eager to get going and had lots of ideas.

So in keeping with the focus being on fitness and health we moved the treadmill from the office to the family room. After the big move, things tailed off a little bit. Actually using the treadmill did not happen nearly as much as we had hoped it would. Not to supply excuses but we did have a few sick bodies in our household along the route for the first month or so and that made it a challenge to get going. We have realized if we are going to have any success we need a plan - something on paper to get us going and something to show us progress.

All was not lost; there was still a lot of time for us to do a lot more "walk" to go along with the "talk" we were displaying going into this series. We did clean out our pantry and purge the really bad stuff while inserting more healthy choices to go into our diet. We are stocking up more on veggies and fruits while trying to keep a handle on portion sizes when mealtime rolls around as well.

The mindset of thinking healthier is really starting to set in with the kids too. We talk a lot about making better choices (in life and at the dinner table) and the kids are starting to initiate these conversations when we are out and about more these days. This is encouraging and a great note to move forward on with the eternal hope of spring on the horizon.

As the new season approaches so does new hope for us to get moving -we are tuning the bikes up, starting to go for family walks and planning ways to enjoy the fresh air and get moving even more. Some family hiking has even crept into the conversation and we are researching that idea too. One big tip I have already received is to start small and not try to take on Mount Everest when you first get into hiking. Luckily we have some beautiful paths, walkways and small forested areas in our section of the country that we can easily explore, so that is something we are looking forward to doing as well.

In keeping with the CPO way of parents helping parents, we are looking for tips and ideas from all of you - so email us!. We want to share how some of you are making changes so we can all enjoy the journey to good health.

Rabbi Pamensky says in his relationship column this month, "A goal without a plan is just a wish" - how true is that! Our goal is to come up with a stronger plan - a realistic plan and one that will lead us in the right direction. So, keep an eye out for my next column where I will have more news to report about our family and our journey towards a more active and healthy lifestyle.