Embarassed to work out in front of my kids

neverstray

Mine start doing it with me. I thinking leading by example is probably the best way to teach your kids about health and nutrition. Use it as a tool to teach, empower, and motivate. It's a positive thing, not a negative thing.

My kids are learning a lot about health and nutrition. And, my son already takes notice of fat calories in foods. And, is aware of how sugary foods make him feel versus more healthy alternatives.

amanda8o

Wow thanks everyone for the amazing advice,we have a Kinect and I think I'll be giving a lot of these great tips a go over the weekend,hubby's not one to play on the kinect but I know the kids are always bugging to play on it,and suprisingly hubby is usually the one who says let's go for a walk over the weekend!

You guys are awesome and I'm so proud and glad to be apart of the awesome site!!

trijoe

Work out with them! Working out with them is SO MUCH BETTER than not working out at all.

1) It shows your kids this is a lifestyle not just a temporary habit.
2) It shows your kids that they can and should be doing this too.
3) It shows your kids you want to include them in your life. Not just drop them off at soccer and come back in a few hours.
4) It puts good ideas in your kids' heads about exercising, vs/ bad ones.
5) It lays groundwork with your kids that you won't see now, but you will eventually.

My example:
I started a weightless journey when I was about 250. I bought a used treadmill and just walked up a storm. My 3 girls, all preschool age at the time, saw me doing this every day. Eventually I got fast enough to run, so I started running. Then I added stationary biking, things kept building, and now I do triathlon. My kids come to races, and whenever possible, cross the finish line with me. They help me pick out and name my bikes (Chino the touring bike and Gwinnie the triathlon bike). They help me pick out training gear, and tell me how I look in various outfits (sometimes honesty hurts, but it's better than lies). They even lift weights and do stretching/yoga with me. My oldest daughter likes coming up with her own yoga moves.

About 4 years ago, my oldest, now 9, said she wanted to race, just like Dad. So we found a 1 mile fun run. She trained on the treadmill, and on race day she just crushed it. Then she moved up to 2 milers, and eventually 5K's. She was doing Girls on The Run 5K's before she was old enough to be in the actual program. Now she's doing triathlons. She's just as slow as her dad, but she also has just as much fun. After a race last year, we were talking about one of her bike wrecks. She said, "I could have quit, but then I wouldn't have finished and been a winner." My 9 year old openly calls herself a winner. It's a beautiful world!!!

Now, another daughter wants to run races. We're looking for the perfect 1 mile for her. Probably next month.

And all 3 daughters are signed up and in training for what's called "The Read Right Run Marathon." They have 26 weeks to read 26 books, do 26 good deeds (right), and run 26 miles. When they're finished, in April, they'll get an official Go! St Louis marathon finishers' medal.

How friggin' cool is that! My daughters 9, 7, 7 will be marathoners!

The gravy on the goose is, I've lost about 70 pounds myself since this all started, and although I fall sometimes, I'm able to live a relatively healthy lifestyle.

This is what happens when you include your kids and make them part of your journey.

I hope this helps.

TammyLynne71

I used to be the same way. But realized that my kids hear me huffing and puffing as I am doing every day things. Plus the saying monkey see, monkey do really comes into play. You could always make "working out" part of the kids play. I went to the playground a couple of days ago with my daughter and let me tell you that was a"work out".
As for exercising in front of my hubby, I realized that since we aren't having sex in the dark all of the time he is seeing me out of breath and things jiggly. LOL

jenbk2

I used to feel the same way until I noticed that they loved to do it with me. As of right now you are the apple in their eye and you are beautiful no matter what. My son used to pat my belly and say "fat belly, fat belly" I at first was so upset but I am working on losing my "fat belly". My oldest will say to me "Mommy you are losing weight I can see it". You are showing them that working out is a way of life and they in turn will start working out.

twinmomtwice4

My kids love working out with me! They'll have little competitions with one another as to who can hold the heaviest weights or how many push-ups they can do.

And they actually keep me encouraged to keep going! When I don't think I can keep going, they'll say things like, "Come on, Mommy...don't you want your body to look like Jillian's?" (meaning Jillian Michael's whose DVD's I work out to)

You'd be surprised at how much fun you all will have together if you can get over that fear.