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Health & Fitness

Strong4Life: Holidays Don't Have to be Lazy Days

Happy Memorial Day to you, your family and all who have served our country. For most of us, this weekend marks the official start of summer—and I can't wait!

Happy Memorial Day to you, your family and all who have served our country. For most of us, this weekend marks the official start of summer—and I can’t wait! I hope you have some great summer plans that include lots of physical activity and healthy eating.

Wait, did that last sentence put a chill back in the air? Did the thought of exercise and eating right suck the fun right out of the long, lazy weekend ahead? It doesn’t have to be that way!

It’s fine to enjoy a special treat or two (like mom's apple pie) this holiday, but you can still make it a great holiday by focusing on family and friends—not just food.

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Parent to parent, here are two fun and simple tips for this weekend. (If you try even one, I’ll be thrilled!)

Tip 1: Find ways to keep moving during your holiday celebrations. Go for a walk after a meal, start a family game of football or organize a dance-off. Holidays usually bring families and friends together, so it can be really fun to play games outside instead of sitting around watching TV (an easy way to limit screen time without even thinking about it). Teach kids outdoor games you enjoyed when you were growing up. “Duck, Duck, Goose,” anyone?  

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Tip 2: Sometimes, overindulging at the holidays can unleash unhealthy eating all the time. Make it a point to recognize when your family’s holiday eating has become an unhealthy habit. It’s OK for everyone to have a serving of grandma’s cobbler, but it doesn’t need to linger in the fridge to feast on all week.

This weekend, my family is headed to the beach, where my kids will get in a lot of exercise disguised as fun. For starters, they love to swim and we go for a family bike ride every morning. Most days, we try to hit the fitness trail at the nearby park or start a pick-up game of basketball (although, I’m still working on my three-pointers!)

How is your family being Strong4Life this Memorial Day weekend? Want to share a family recipe you’ve tweaked to make healthier? Any advice for my b-ball game? :) We want to hear from you!  Comment below or by joining us on Facebook andTwitter.  

Enjoy your weekend—and a very happy, healthy Memorial Day, from my family to yours.

Strong4Life is a movement created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to address the childhood obesity medical crisis that is threatening nearly one million kids in Georgia. For information about Strong4Life visit our website,FacebookTwitterYouTube, and Strong4Life Blog.

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