It seems so very appropriate that, on a day when the weather man reveals that we are supposed to get 50mm of rain and that crazy wind action that is a solid island Winter storm, Comox Valley Kids debuts its new Family Fitness column.

Once a month, local fitness expert, Vanier track coach and nationally-lauded running instructor Sharon de Goede is here to keep us all thinking about keeping ourselves and our kiddos motivated in the exercise department. A great, energetic mom and entrepreneur, Sharon also owns Elite Athletics and has helped everyone from families to Canadian Olympic athletes perform to the best of their abilities through positive motivation and of course a fair bit of hard work.

I personally am super excited to have Sharon on board because - while I am no queen of fitness - it has been proven to me over and over in my life that the key to mental and physical well-being is learning how to care for yourself through fitness and food. She’s got much to share and an energy that I wish I could bottle.

So, without delay, here’s Sharon:

With the soaring obesity rate in Canada and body fat proving to be a major factor in several cancers, now is a great time to ‘just do it’.

Where should it start? From the home, of course! Children are a product of their parents, right? What could be better than spending time with your family and getting exercise at the same time?

It is a win win situation.

We live in Paradise; the Comox Valley, the ‘recreation capital of the World’. There is something for everyone here! We live amongst rivers, mountains, lakes, and the ocean. Each one of these provide different potential fitness avenues.

The rivers provide access for fishing, kayaking, tubing and swimming (summer time fun), and walking or hiking the trails that traverse the waterway. The mountains, our claim to fame, provide an abundance of activity; snow shoeing, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, mountain biking, hiking, walking and running, not to mention, chilling with the children in the hot tub afterwards with a hot chocolate, of course!

Ah…the lakes. Not only can you spend some quality family time camping, but fishing, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and walking.

The ocean provides not only serenity and a feeling of eternity when one gazes out from the beach to the miles and miles of blue water that seem endless, it provides an abudance of family fun. The salt water can also provide skiing, fishing, kayaking, and the ever popular walking in the sand, building sand castles and bon fires, giving the family a sense of family.

With all of that, it seems like everyone around here should be fit as a fiddle. Yet we all know that as we get older our jeans often get a little tighter, our obligations keep us from taking better care of ourselves and scheduling in one more thing seems virtually impossible.

I’m here to help you make the time you most definitely need to stay fit and help your children understand the value of exercise as an integral part of our daily lives.

Excuse #1: you don’t have time because you are driving your child from one practice facility to another…..the good news is that you actually do have the time mom and dad! There are many venues for adults to work out during the day or night, between or even during your child’s practices. You can walk, jog, lift weights, play squash, raquet ball, tennis, yoga, pilates, martial arts, swim, aquasize, and many many more options.

While getting the whole family outside is key to keeping everyone healthy, you probably find yourself watching your kiddos at the rink or the pool wondering how the heck you are ever going to get a work out in. One of my best recommendations is to spend some time walking &/or jogging the trails that are a stones throw away from your child’s practice venue; ie. Vanier chip trail behind the Comox Valley Sports Centre; the Vanier track infront of the Sports centre; or the fairgrounds trails behind the curling rink. You can walk from 30 minutes to an hour easily without driving anywhere.

If you are at Glacier Gardens while your kiddos are skating, the Comox 19 Recreation Centre is right next door or you may want to take a short drive to Goose spit and walk along the water or jog in the sand or road.

Are your kiddos into outdoor sports and you’re tired of standing and freezing at the soccer pitch? Be a linesperson! The rules are simple and you will stay warm, active and be contributing to the team!

Did you know that you can work out at area recreation centres any day for a nominal fee? Comox Recreation has 130 different programs on Noel Avenue and even has drop-in child minding for parents who need a workout. If your child is downtown Courtenay, there are many walking venues such as Lewis park and the newer Sims Park across the street; of course the Courtenay Rec Centre is right there too, for easy drop in access, call 338-5371.

For nearly non-stop trails that are all about getting your exercise with the family, the Courtenay Air Park is a perfect venue for walking, jogging, roller blading and stollers. Take a leash and your dog and you will all be happy. And, if a leisurely walk is more on the agenda, there is also the Filberg Park covering 9 acres with beautiful gardens and trails overlooking Comox Bay.

So, I know what you’re thinking. That’s all really great Sharon. But, with our lives perpetually scheduled to the max, staying motivated to work out is tough.

Are you having touble with self-discipline? I highly recommend guilting yourself into getting your exercise.

Get a calendar and write down what you do for exercise on a daily basis. Trust me, when you look at your calendar (must be visible every day!) the blank days will guilt you into doing a little something healthy for yourself.

Also, try hooking up with a friend who has a similar schedule to yours. Once you committ to someone else (day and time written on your calendar) you are far less apt to opt out….You WILL be there because you don’t want to let them down.

Nothing is more important than Family.

For your well-being, nothing is more important than Fitness.

Combined together = Family Fitness.

Just do it!

Cheers
Sharon de Goede
www.eliteathletics.ca
email me at speed4u2@telus.net