Welcome to the category of my blog simply called ‘Healthy Tips.’ Many times, when I write articles for various publications, I need to find sources for the story as seen in Yahoo Shine (click here) or PBS (click here) about staying healthy. I was looking for experts and non-experts to chime in and give their favorite ‘tips’ to help kids and adults lead a healthy lifestyle.

The feedback for various stories was amazing. The sources had some fantastic points of view that could not be ignored, and I thought their opinions should be viewed on the Your Health Journal web site.

So, enjoy my new series, with some ‘great’ insight from some ‘great’ people giving exceptional and educational points of view.

Reasons families are not exercising together

There are many reasons why children today are less active than in the past. Contributionsinclude: cuts to physical education programs at school, reluctance to allow kids to play outside unsupervised due to safety concerns, time constraints for families with a single parent or dual working parents, and the explosion of media options.

A single television in the home is no longer the norm. For most families, there are multiple televisions, gaming systems, hand-held devices, and smart phones. With all the options, who has time to look outside!

Creative Ideas to get families exercising together

Changing family activity level can be really challenging and is often met with resistance. One of the best ways to get kids more active is to lead through example. Yes, this means that parents should ideally be just as active as their kids! With the limited number of hours in the day, this can be tough. Using family time as a time to be active together shows children the value of activity and helps develop lifelong habits.

There are many ways to get families moving together

· Going for walks before or after dinner can be a great option.

· Turning up the music and dancing around the living room together is a great activity. Dedicating special songs to your kids can really get them dancing!

· Parking farther away when running errands with the kids, encouraging them to take the stairs with you when shopping, and having them walk along the cart can increase their activity (sometimes, it takes a little more planning and time!).

· Turn off the television and media devices and incorporate your kids into your activities: take them running with you in a jog stroller or have them ride along on a bicycle; shoot baskets together; or throw a football, baseball, or Frisbee together.

· Family yard work! Kid-size rakes and snow shovels can keep kids occupied for hours! After raking a pile, you can then spend the afternoon jumping in theleaves together.

· Giving children fitness-oriented gifts such as a session of swimming lessons, gymnastics classes or horseback riding lessons.

· Using activity as a reward – getting a trip to their favorite local park if they help with chores.

· Designate a place in the home for rambunctious physical activity – somewhere kids can actually roll, climb and jump.

· Most importantly, get out of the house and into the community. Look for low-cost activities near home like new parks, trails, bike paths, and pools to visit.

– Dr. Kathryn Cahill, MD, a pediatrician with Meriter Hospitals and Clinics in Madison, Wis. has a variety of tips for families looking to get and stay healthy.