Paige Lantz, 10, and her mother Amanda participate in the Fit Family program (Photo by Jason Plotkin).
By JEN BAKER
for Smart
Exercise doesn’t have to mean a collection of expensive equipment or hours spent at the gym.
Nor does it have to be difficult to include the entire family.
Getting off the couch and being active can be as simple as walking the dog or helping with household chores such as folding laundry.
The more you move, the more calories you burn. It’s that simple to get — and stay — healthy.
“It’s so hard for families to make exercise part of a routine,” said Chelsea Pritchett, program director for the YMCA of York County, Bob Hoffman and Eastern branches.
Ben Wolf, 9, and his mother Melisa exercise together.
“The Fit Family program is a gateway to get them in the door and moving as a family and then get involved in other YMCA classes,” Pritchett said.
“Adolescents ages 10, 11, 12 are getting larger from sitting and watching TV, or playing on phones or the computer. The goal of the class is to get everyone motivated in the family.”
Read the rest of this story at smartmagpa.com.