Family Fitness

There are more than just a few "Southwest Grills" in the Southwest. Houston, Texas has some of the best and not surprisingly some of the biggest obesity statistics in the nation. When Houston native Erik DeLaRosa decided to get in-shape he soon found that his passion became a second career leading others in health and fitness. His Latino background gives him a keen awareness of some of the challenges facing the Hispanic community. He shares how to lead by example in exercise, diet, faith and service. That example starts with the family.

Fitness teaches our children that pain may be scary but it isn't fatal. Children need to know how to take life-affirming risk and test their own metal. The sin of over-parenting produces weak, pliable, and small-souled children. The bad news – bullying is on the rise. The average bully targets the weak. The good news - helping our children stand up to bullying without falling down is easier than they realize.

Can you imagine seeing an older woman bench pressing weights or a young athletic man practicing his balance on a stability ball? We associate certain physical activities with certain age groups. But, your body is meant to be strong on five levels through several forms of training. Don’t limit yourself by limiting your mind. What can we learn from each other? The answers are here.

Have you ever prayed, “Dear God, I just need more time!” Well, while you can’t get any more minutes or hours in a day for you and your family you can transform your schedule and make it healthier. It is time to get balance and build time-wellness with this 4-point strategy to gain STRONG TIME.

Among the sea of treadmills, stair-steppers, and stationary pedal bikes, I search the bank of TV screens for some inspiration. What can I do outside this sweaty gym? It’s time to make your summer travel plans. This year make it a true fitness adventure. I’ve compiled 5 great destinations that will have you wanting to get outdoors and get fit.

What happens when you intentionally limit your range of motion both physically and spiritually? Gary Thomas shares the story of one young mother of three, Karen. She felt trapped because she was ignoring everything below her head. To gain confidence Karen stretched and found renewed passion. This spiritual training article for both men and women is rich in Bible applications. It will encourage you to use physical fitness to stretch spiritually.

It can by tricky to make fitness fun and challenging for a child age 6 to 11. You may find it is even more difficult to make exercise fun and challenging for you. Not to worry. We have ideas for every short attention span – for every child AND every dad.

Children who are 5 and younger love to be active with a courageous father. Exercising with child at this age is a great time to establish a good father/child workout routine. A small child can hang out with you almost anywhere you want to train.

Putting tools like a cell phone or car keys in your teen’s hands helps him or her to communicate and get to where he or she is going. Here are exercise ideas you can do with your teen. Give your teen the tools to be active, spiritually fulfilled and confident in you as a COURAGEOUS man.

Here are 5 top reasons guys don’t exercise. What are your excuses? Come on, wake up dad and get with it!

In theaters September 30, the movie COURAGEOUS inspires men with a newfound urgency to be active with those most dear to them. This special section produced by Faith & Fitness Magazine provides free online resources to help men bring greater fitness and faith to their family and community. Watch the movie trailer now.

Most fathers aren’t fitness models like David Bravo. But all fathers model life for their children. Good and bad, dads set the example. In this revealing story, David shares how God has used his life journey to shape his relationship with his son. He discusses the top 6 things on the mind of a single dad – good insights for all fathers to apply every day.

Young men and big muscles --- Not every guy has them or even wants them but they all want a strong identity. From an early age Nick Wright has been bodybuilding. Now he wants to help build a team of young people that reach for more than weights and peer acceptance to find their true strength in Jesus Christ.

When should your family get active and build a spiritual foundation to stay connected? Start today and do it for the rest of your life so that generations to come can experience the fullness of God’s plan for physical and spiritual strength. Exercise, eating well, rest and more are things you can do be healthy. Lindsay Edwards, Ph.D. examines the seven stages of a family to give you practical guidance for each phase of your family life.

Next Sunday most youth across the country will go to church and do the same routine youth group thing --- (yawn). Other teens will have a lot of fun, build muscle strength, get their heart beating good and grow closer to God. And- they’ll experience a kind of fellowship that you just don’t get by sitting in the church pew. Take a look at the extreme makeover that could be coming soon to a youth group near you.

I am the mother of 4 teenagers. It occurred to me that a lot of skin issues are affected by sport and fitness activities. I’ve discovered an approach to skin care that is effective for the active person and spiritually strengthening too.

Fatherhood confounds most men at first. This leaves less time for exercise. If physical fitness is going to be part of your life you have to make it a priority. Psychologist and father of four, Stephen W. Simpson shares important lessons he has learned about fatherhood and fitness.

It can be difficult for a parent to find a way to motivate his or her daughter to have a healthy lifestyle. Chapan, a personal trainer with a focus on children, has found that the Girls On The Run program builds character among girls, gives them exercise and time to simply have fun together. Schools and parents love it. It is a Christian friendly approach to health that makes wise sense for families. Find out how to start one in your community.

Sweating and doing all those exercises in the gym can make you extremely self-conscious. Performer and trainer Lauren Lucille Garner shares her personal fitness experience and offers encouraging support to help you make positive choices and move forward with confidence.

The folks who run the American Dental Association must be marketing geniuses. Tooth brushing is such a part of a child’s routine. Our family has developed a way to make exercise and faith a regular part of our evening routine. Imagine children and parents squeezing but a few exercises together, brushing up on some Bible reading all in conjunction with good oral hygiene.

Is lunch time a highlight of your child’s day, or does she dread pulling out what you’ve stuffed in her brown bag? Do you know what foods contribute to heart health, and how to “sell” your picky eater on wise choices? Send your child off with a lunch that makes both his mouth and heart happy.

Coaching offers opportunities to build teams and build lives. Jeff Raisley offers lessons that he shares as a coach about self, group, and fun. They are important to the sport and to kids’ daily lives. In coaching, sometimes the goal is more than just a net.

Fierce yelling, snarling mouths, gritting teeth, and grunting under extreme weights… the testosterone zone of a high school weight room can be a formidable place for a teenage boy. A responsible coach knows how to harness that drive and build up the team without tearing down the young man. Parents have to focus on leading their children down a path that gives glory to God. Do you know how to get the job done?

In today’s face-paced world it is increasingly difficult to find time to dedicate to reconnecting family. Interactive fitness technology is helping parents and their children to interact with each other, have fun, and get in a very - VERY good workout.