Raising children can be demanding on your lifestyle – here are 4 ways for you and your family to restore vitality as the children are back to school.

1. Weight training

Stronger Bones
Osteoporosis is when your bones get weaker as you get older. Strength training can help prevent it or keep it from getting worse. Exercise triggers the cells that form bone into action. Your hips, spine, and wrists can get the biggest benefit from strength training. They’re also the places most likely to be affected by osteoporosis.

Shedding Fat
Lifting weights can help you carry less weight. Strength training can get rid of body fat and help you burn more calories. Keeping your muscles healthy also can help prevent injuries that can happen while you’re doing aerobic exercise like walking or running.

Maintaining Balance
As you get older, you lose strength in your legs, and lack of strength can lead to falls and fractures. Exercises like leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses, and walking can make your lower half stronger. That improves your balance.

Weight training can be safe and easy to pick up, and maintaining a habit is a great way to motivate your children to follow suit!

2. Uneven 10k steps

Walking 10,000 uneven terrain steps daily offers a range of physical and mental health benefits. For example, it can support healthy weight loss, improve joint health, boost mood and brain function and aid recovery. Also, walking is a low-impact exercise that’s accessible to most people.
Remember to always move more!

3. Protein and greens

A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition.
It protects you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats, are essential for healthy diet.
Protein is an important part of a healthy diet. Proteins are made up of chemical ‘building blocks’ called amino acids, which our bodies use to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and enzymes. They can also be used as an energy source.
Leafy green vegetables contain high levels of fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, folate, and calcium, are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K, and have very little sodium, cholesterol, and carbohydrates.
Moving forward, plan your meals ahead and include quality protein and dark green vegetables into the family diet.

4. Interact as a family, do things together

Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and in result improve our immune systems. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk. The reality is that we’re living in a time of true disconnection.
Healthy interactions with other people promote your brain’s release of the chemicals oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These brain chemicals help control your social behavior and support your overall health and well-being, making family interactions naturally rewarding. Try a family hike or activities where everyone gets involved, make sure to have a great time!