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.

The importance of families exercising together

When children are young, they want to be just like their parents. They want to dress like them, they want a job like them, and it is cute and flattering! But what about the habits parents are teaching children, especially when it comes to healthy eating and exercise? Parents who make time in their day for exercise emphasis to their children that it is an important lifelong behavior. Monkey see-monkey do!

Suggestions / creative ideas to get families to exercise together.

Allocate time for family exercise everyday. It doesn’t have to be much, take a family walk after dinner and use that time to talk about your days. Play a family game of football during half-time of the game Dad is watching. Invite your kids to join you during P90x or your yoga dvd, they will not be able to do all of exercises, but they will be moving and trying! Teach them that exercise and sweat are really important, and that it can be fun!

Reasons why families are not exercising together as much in our modern day era.

Our schedules are crazier than ever. We are so “plugged in”, there really is never any free time. Parents are working more than ever, and when they come home from a long day they just want to relax.

– Carrie Karkoska, certified health and wellness coach, with a master’s degree in exercise physiology.