When the colder months finally arrive and the outside temperatures take a nosedive, many people retreat to the couch with a cup of coffee and a blanket. After all, we all know what cold weather brings: football. While most families gather around the television to watch NFL or college football, there are some great fitness activities for the whole family that you can do together to improve your health and fitness during the colder, more festive months of the year receive.

Speaking of football, if you haven't already, be sure to check out our Sport is Back article where we give you four snacking survival tips to avoid weight loss.

In this article, we'll share some family-friendly activities your whole family can do to stay fit during the colder months when the holidays turn into binges and weight gain comes knocking on your door. Try these family fitness activities and get the whole family involved in the fun!

Disclaimer: It is recommended that you speak to your doctor before undertaking any exercise program.

 

10 festive family fitness activities for this time of year

 

Below are some great fitness activities for the whole family that you can plan to get you moving during the colder months and holidays without it feeling like a strenuous workout.

1. A hike through nature

Depending on where you live, you probably have some hiking trails nearby. The colder months are a fantastic time to enjoy family fitness activities such as a nature hike. Find a trail that suits your family's fitness abilities and lace up your hiking boots for a getaway into nature.

With the changing colors of the leaves and the fresh air, a hike in nature is a great way to get some exercise without noticing that you're taxing your cardiovascular system.

 

2. Create your own circuit/obstacle course

Whether you're looking to enjoy the great outdoors or turn your living room into an obstacle course, you can easily create your own course that'll get your heart rate pumping while providing a fitness activity for the whole family.

Use household items like pillows, blankets, sheets, tables, furniture, and more to create your own obstacle course for the whole family to run through. Throughout the obstacle course there are stations where everyone must perform some type of physical activity. These activities can include mountain climbers, planks, push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, or whatever comes to mind.

 

3. Charity fun run/walk

If your family enjoys running or walking, why not sign up for a charity run or walk? Not only is this a fitness program for the whole family, but it also helps raise money for good causes. Many communities host themed charity runs or walks around Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays.

Search online for charity runs/walks in your area and sign up your whole family. Participating in events like this is a fantastic way to not only get some exercise with the whole family, but also do something good for the community. These moments can help shape your children and show them that when everyone comes together, everyone, no matter their age, can do something good in their community.

 

4. Themed workouts for vacation

Whether you like lifting weights, yoga, Pilates, spin classes, or rock climbing, insert any activity you're interested in here and make it a holiday theme. Many classes at local gyms have a Christmas theme and are great for family fitness activities that you and your kids will enjoy.

If you don't have a gym membership, you can host a Christmas-themed workout yourself at home. Dress up and do something active with the family, take a long walk around your city like you're a pilgrim crossing America, or put on a silly Santa hat while working out. The most important thing is to be celebratory and make your activities fun for the whole family.

 

5. Ice skating

The colder months bring not only freezing temperatures, but also ice on the ground. While I don't recommend turning your driveway into an ice rink (which would actually be super cool), find an ice skating rink near you (either indoor or outdoor) and make it one of your family fitness activities .

Learning to ice skate can be fun for the whole family. If you roller skate or rollerblade during the warmer months, ice skating is a great way to keep up your skills by getting a pair of ice skates. Speaking of ice cream, this goes well with our next family fitness activity.

 

6. Ice hockey

The piggyback to ice skating is ice hockey. If your family loves ice hockey, lace up your skates and play a game of ice hockey. Many local rinks set up hockey nets at certain times and allow the community to play hockey.

If you can skate and your family enjoys shooting a puck into the net, this is a great way to get some exercise without standing on a treadmill and staring at the wall.

 

7. Tobogganing or tobogganing

Maybe I'm just a big kid at heart, but there's something exhilarating about sledding and tubing. Maybe it takes me back to my childhood, but it's a family fitness activity that will have your kids smiling from ear to ear.

Find a nearby hill, a toboggan park or, if you have a nice hill, a garden near you and enjoy the descent. The strenuous and exhausting hike to the top of the hill will quickly be forgotten because you'll be too excited to rush back downhill. Climbing the hill after every run or pass is a fantastic way to get your heart rate up and also a great leg workout when running through deep snow.

 

8. Indoor swimming

Unless you enjoy a cool dip, jumping into the pool in the fall and winter may seem like torture. Let's stop shivering and move things indoors. If your kids are anything like fish who can breathe outside of water, finding an indoor pool for them to swim in is sure to be the highlight of their day (even if they forget to thank you for letting them took with you).

If you have access to an indoor pool, swimming is a full-body workout that's fun and easy on the joints (great for those of us who aren't getting any younger). Swimming with your children is a fitness activity for the whole family that is fun for everyone, and there are even some indoor pools that offer special holiday-themed swimming events that you can take part in.

 

9. Shovel the neighborhood

Does your family enjoy the charity walks and runs mentioned earlier? Looking for something else your family can do to make a difference in your community? Why don't you shovel your neighbors after it snows?

Take the shovels and shovel yourself, and then go to your elderly neighbors (or anyone you want to help) and shovel their driveway and sidewalk. Some may offer to pay you for your help, but the reason you're helping people around you shovel is because you're a good neighbor. A little kindness can go a long way, and that's a good lesson for your children.

 

10. Snowball fight

The last item on our list of family fitness activities is a good old snowball fight. Unless you were a disadvantaged child, you probably got into some heated snowball fights yourself as a child. Why not rekindle this joy with your children in your own garden?

I should preface this by saying that this is a friendly snowball fight. Now is not the time to take revenge on your child who decided to draw a Picasso on your wall with a permanent marker. Running, dodging and throwing snowballs can be the perfect outdoor workout.

 

Fight the cold in the colder months

The cold weather often brings the best of us a runny nose and bouts of sneezing. It's almost like clockwork - when the cold weather hits, it hits our immune system hard. And if your kids go to school during these months, you know as well as I do what germs they're bringing home with them. But you can combat these seasonal setbacks.

It is important that you get the recommended daily intake of important nutrients such as vitamin C, D and zinc. To make this process easier, you can use a quality multivitamin/mineral supplement like Evogen Nutrition Evovite take in.

Evovite uses the highest quality ingredients in highly effective dosages to provide you with maximum benefit. Get a bottle of Evogen Nutrition Evovite today and stay protected when the cold weather comes!