Founded in 1994, Shape Up America! is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue and to providing responsible information on healthy weight management.
20 Tips for Getting Your Family on Track
- Park the car AS FAR AWAY from the entrance as possible
- Use a pedometer to count the number of steps taken each day
(2,000 steps equals about 1 mile) - Have a catch (football, baseball, softball, or Frisbee)
- Make chores such as vacuuming, sweeping or raking, your chance to be active
- Go for family walks after meal times
- Limit recreational screen time (television, video games, and computer) to less than 2 hours per day
- Shoot some hoops
- Select fitness-oriented gifts with your family member's skills and interests in mind
- Design a Frisbee golf course and play Frisbee golf
(replace golf "holes" with targets and count the number of tosses needed to connect) - Try to ALWAYS use the stairs
- Visit farms throughout the year where you can pick your own strawberries, peaches, and apples
- Plan cycling trips on safe trails by contacting your local bike shop or bike club
- Go swimming and play water tag or water volleyball
- Play soccer or just kick a ball around — it's fun!
- Go hiking — locate a nearby trail
- Jump rope — practice rhythms, rhymes, and tricks
- Adopt a roadway, park, or beach and keep it clean
- Enter a "bike-a-thon" or "fun run" and train for it (you can walk a "fun run" too)
- Use a hula hoop — see how long you can keep it going!
- SCHEDULE REGULAR TIMES for activity throughout the week
Download 20 Tips for Getting Your Family on Track
Download 20 Tips for Getting Your Family on Track (en Español)
These are PDF files. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view them. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the button below.
