41. Raising Active Kids: How to Get Your Children Involved In Fitness

This week's episode dives into raising active kids and getting children genuinely excited about movement. Emily and AJ shared how modeling healthy habits, rather than just talking about them, became a cornerstone of their own parenting, especially through the challenges of a pandemic postpartum period with no gym access or childcare. They unpack practical, low-pressure ways to involve kids in fitness, from letting them "help" during workouts to reframing family activities like hiking, biking, and even walking the dog as meaningful movement, all while avoiding language that ties exercise to guilt, punishment, or earning food.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Kids learn more from watching you prioritize movement than from being told to exercise, modeling beats lecturing.

2. You don't need a perfect routine or uninterrupted gym time; showing up consistently, even imperfectly, is what counts.

3. Let kids be curious and involved on their own terms (counting reps, playing with bands) rather than forcing structured participation.

4. Avoid linking exercise or food to guilt or punishment, skip phrases like "earning" treats or working out to "burn off" a meal.

5. Everyday activities, hiking, biking, walking the dog, backyard games, count as real physical activity and are easy ways to include kids.

"Your kids don't need a perfect fitness routine. They just need to see that moving your body and being active is part of your day-to-day life, and it's something that can be enjoyable and fun." — Emily

Connect with Emily and AJ

Website: https://www.emilylevercoaching.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bedellever/

References

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44410-025-00011-9

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31377851/

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Until next time—keep showing up, stay consistent, and remember: small steps add up to big change.