What if Fitness Was Family-Based?

It seems like there’s been a big push in the health & fitness industry towards individualism.

It makes sense — in many ways, fitness is a very individual thing. Your mindset, your goals, and your discipline is what will drive your results.

The ones telling you this are the ones who have mastered it — super-athletes, bodybuilders, you name it.

But what about those people whose top priorities aren’t to be the fittest person on Earth? Those whose days revolve around others, like their children & family?

Sometimes, it can feel like the only way to really prioritize your fitness is to isolate your entire lifestyle. Spending more time away from your family in the gym, eating things the rest of them don’t, buying groceries only you will use.

But what if it were possible to sprinkle fitness & health into the things you’re already doing? 

When your whole life is family-focused, it only makes sense to find ways to incorporate the other stuff into that.

Let’s break fitness into two categories: exercise and nutrition. We’ll talk about how to fold them into your family in a way that enriches everyone’s lives—not just your own.

A Family Approach to Exercise

A lot of people only associate exercise with adults trying to get in shape. But research supports the importance of exercise for kids, for everything from motor skills to academic performance to those with developmental disabilities.

Here’s just a few of the benefits studies have found for exercising during childhood:

Chronic Disease Prevention: Exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes by improving glucose metabolism and lipid profiles (10).

Enhanced Cognitive Function: Exercise improves executive function, which includes processes like planning, attention, and problem-solving (3, 9).

Children with ADHD: Exercise can help improve ADHD symptoms and fine motor skills, although specific recommendations on exercise type and duration are still being developed (4).

There are plenty of others. Our sources are linked below for further reading!

Here are some ideas for incorporating the whole family in your exercise.

Family walks: This one’s a favorite in my household. Pick a scenic route with lots of plants along the way, and switch it up every now and then for an adventure! If you have older kids, let them make their own playlists for the walk and rotate them. 

You could also pick a cause that’s important to you and walk a 5k together (the best part? Strollers are allowed in many races, and no one sets your pace but you!).

Dance video games: You don’t need a gaming system to do this — I used to look up these videos on YouTube and dance along to them with everyone in my house (plus, research shows it’s good for you)(11).

Step Tracking Contests: Use apps or wearables to track steps. Set weekly family goals or challenges, with prizes at the end for the winner. This one’s good if you have older kids, so everyone can still do their own thing during the week.

Commercial break workouts: As soon as a commercial comes on, drop and do as many push-ups/squats/burpees as possible. See who can do the most before your show comes back on!

Now let’s think about nutrition.

Nutrition for the Whole Family

The other thing that can make fitness hard is meals. 

Thankfully, dieting isn’t what it used to be anymore. So many people have been eating healthy and are using their creativity to come up with new ways of incorporating more nutrients into their food. And thanks to the Internet, those new ideas are everywhere.

Using cauliflower as a thickener in soup instead of heavy cream, making bread out of Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, adding vanilla extract for a taste of sweetness…the list goes on. Healthy, great-tasting recipes have never been easier to find.

Eating healthy as a family also has a built-in benefit: teaching kids delayed gratification. The days you splurge become exciting. You know how the treat meals taste that much better because you waited for them? Now think of the whole family being able to enjoy the meal together. Overall enjoyment goes up, and so does quality time spent as a family.

Some tips for making nutritious family meals:

• Seasonal ingredients: Look for in-season produce. Our climates change throughout the year; food grown in those climates should too. In-season produce is richer in nutrients and flavor.

• Veggie Purees: Blend veggies like carrots, zucchini, or spinach into pasta sauces, soups, or smoothies.

• Batch Cooking: Prepare large portions of staples like rice, roasted vegetables, or grilled chicken to use in multiple meals throughout the week.

• Patience: Change takes time. Don’t be surprised if there’s resistance to new kinds of food at first. If you give it a chance and wait it out, soon you’ll find your preferences have changed and healthy food becomes your default.

Fitness doesn’t have to be a solo pursuit, nor does it have to come at the expense of your family life. By incorporating exercise and nutrition into your daily routines in ways that include the whole family, you can make health a shared journey rather than an individual sacrifice.

From family workouts to cooking nutritious meals together, these small changes can have a big impact—not just on your personal health but on the well-being and connection of everyone in your household. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress, and creating a lifestyle that works for your unique family dynamic.

When fitness and nutrition become family-focused, they stop feeling like chores and start becoming opportunities—opportunities to grow stronger, healthier, and closer as a unit. After all, the best kind of health journey is one you don’t have to take alone.

Note: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Relevant Studies

1. Jia, M., Zhang, J., Pan, J., Hu, F., & Zhu, Z. (2024). Benefits of exercise for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1462601.

2. Skogstad, M., & Laumann, K. (2013). The academic and psychological benefits of exercise in healthy children and adolescents. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28, 945-962. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10212-012-0148-Z.

3. Davis, C., Tomporowski, P., McDowell, J., Austin, B., Miller, P., Yanasak, N., Allison, J., & Naglieri, J. (2011). Exercise improves executive function and achievement and alters brain activation in overweight children: a randomized, controlled trial.. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 30 1, 91-8 . https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021766.

4. Neudecker, C., Mewes, N., Reimers, A., & Woll, A. (2019). Exercise Interventions in Children and Adolescents With ADHD: A Systematic Review. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23, 307 - 324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715584053.

5. Fyffe, A., Orr, R., Cassimatis, M., & Browne, G. (2024). Children and exercise.. Australian journal of general practice, 53 3, 109-115 . https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-05-23-6849.

6. Ganley, T., Sherman, C., & Dinubile, N. (2000). Exercise and Children's Health. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 28, 85 - 92. https://doi.org/10.3810/psm.2000.02.699.

7. Johnson, C. (2009). The Benefits of Physical Activity for Youth with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Health Promotion, 23, 157 - 167. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.070930103.

8. Archer, T. (2014). Health Benefits of Physical Exercise for Children and Adolescents. Journal of Novel Physiotherapies, 2014. https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7025.1000203.

9. Tomporowski, P., Davis, C., Miller, P., & Naglieri, J. (2008). Exercise and Children’s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement. Educational Psychology Review, 20, 111-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10648-007-9057-0.

10. Sothern, M., Loftin, M., Suskind, R., Udall, J., & Blecker, U. (1999). The health benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents: implications for chronic disease prevention. European Journal of Pediatrics, 158, 271-274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310051070.

11. Tao, D., Gao, Y., Cole, A., Baker, J., Gu, Y., Supriya, R., Tong, T., Hu, Q., & Awan-Scully, R. (2022). The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance and its Effects on Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Physiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.925958.