Page 9 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 7-29-2015

Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter Lifestyle July 29, 2015 • Page 9

Affordable summer
tips to get kids active

(Family Features) It’s up to parents to make sure their kids’
summers are filled with opportunities for them to stay active.
Summer programs and sports leagues are great, but they often
require expensive participation fees.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by Dr. Pepper Snapple
Group found that nearly half (52 percent) of parents said the cost
of sports equipment and participation is a barrier to getting their
family active. Despite the challenge staying active sometimes
poses, it’s important that parents make sure their kids get the
active play they need, because play provides more than just fun. It
helps kids maintain healthy lifestyles and also contributes to the
development of motor skills, control, coordination and strength,
according to research by the nonprofit group KaBOOM!

Tips for a playful summer Fitness ideas to power up summer
Inserting active play into your family’s summer fun doesn’t (Family Features) Short-sleeve shirts,
have to be expensive. Here are a few creative and cost-effective tanks and shorts have made their way into for successful brainstorming on the job. The healthy benefits of swimming
ways to inspire play in your family this season from Let’s Play, our everyday wardrobes. And looking and Find motivation in all forms. Seek the
a community partnership led by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group to feeling your best for all of those warm weather help of like-minded individuals who also want Many people view swimming as a purely recreational activity, but the health
get kids and families active nationwide: activities is important. to establish healthy routines. Look online for benefits of swimming should not be overlooked. Swimming is a great way to get fit,
•Create your own field day tournament: Rather than Busy women know that being active health and fitness blogs from other women providing great cardiovascular exercise that’s easy on the joints. Swimming engages
spending money on pricey sports equipment, reuse household means more than just picking up a few who can share their own journeys toward better a variety of muscle groups, making it a great way to get a complete workout. The
items to create your own competitive events for your family. healthy habits; it requires daily dedication. But health. Or, invest in a wearable fitness device following are some additional benefits of including swimming as part of your exercise
For example, set up a field hockey game using brooms as sticks sometimes despite best laid plans, real life gets that offers a personalized experience. regimen.
and a tennis ball as a puck. Create your own shot-put using a in the way. You miss that gym visit or sleep Plan for an active vacation. Don’t let travel • When swimming, muscles are worked hard, which can help build strength.
re-sealable bag filled with dry rice or head to the neighborhood through that workout class. Make the most of plans justify inactivity. Use your vacation as Much of that work can be traced to the fact that water is far more resistant than
pool for some aquatic races. Make sure to hold a medal ceremony your summer days with these tips that are not an opportunity to get moving, and create air, forcing a body in water to work harder to move than it would if it were walking
afterwards to celebrate everyone’s success. only fun, but will get you moving, even on the new healthy experiences. Visiting a historic on solid ground.
•Host your own community run: Races are a great way busiest days. town or city? Check out a walking group • Water buoyancy can enable people to do exercises that would be jarring on
to get your family moving outside, but the registration fees can Establish a summer schedule. With kids tour to sightsee. Hitting the beach? Try beach land. In water, roughly 90 percent of the body is buoyant. That means working out
add up. Gather a few friends and family and create your own out of school, it can be easy to fall into a more volleyball, surfing or stroll beside the water in the water will put less strain on the knees and hips when it comes to performing
fun run. You can use a nearby neighborhood track or just mark laid-back routine. Fight the urge to turn on the every night. No matter where your travels take high-impact jumping exercises.
off the course on the sidewalk around your house. television and create an active schedule with you, you can always find a way to be active. • Swimming is a great cardiovascular workout. Swimming can elevate the heart
•Set up a neighborhood play equipment swap: As they say, your children. After dinner, have a family walk Find ways to beat the heat. Don’t let the rate to an optimal level and work the lungs, too. Pushing oneself harder and harder
one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. While your kids around the neighborhood or plan for weekend summer sun be your excuse to stay indoors on can help to burn calories and lead to weight loss.
may be bored with the play equipment they already own, the outings to your favorite local nature preserve. those extra hot days. Set your alarm early to • Just about every muscle is used when a body is swimming. Swimming targets
equipment is brand new to others. Organize a play equipment Schedule a walking meeting at work. If get your morning run or hike in before those the shoulders, back, arms, legs, hips, and gluteals without requiring complicated
swap in your neighborhood to give your gently used items a new sitting in an office is part of your daily routine, afternoon temperatures rise. Seek a refreshing, workout equipment.
home. Your family will also benefit by receiving some new toys make a point to be active. Need to go over cool workout, such as water aerobics at the gym • Swimming may help improve coordination, balance and posture. Swimming
and sports equipment to inspire them to get out and be active. some items with a co-worker? Avoid booking or paddle boarding at the lake when the temps also may promote greater flexibility by stretching the body through fluid movements.
There are also several nonprofit organizations, such as Good the conference room, and plan a walking are soaring. Swimming provides a complete and demanding workout that can benefit the
Sports, that provide communities and organizations in need with meeting outside or around the building. Let the inviting sun rays lure you outside body in a variety of ways.
sports equipment grants. To nominate an organization for a Getting your heartrate up and taking in some and get moving. You may discover your next
grant, visit LetsPlay.com, where you’ll also find more inexpensive fresh summer air may be just what you need favorite workout, and other life hacks for a
play ideas organized by age, group size and season. healthier you.

Hydration is very important during the warm summer months
(BPT) - Summer is the time for as two to four liters per hour. seizures, coma and death. To avoid Ideally, anyone engaging in outdoor
outdoor fun and activities, but as All of this water needs to be this condition, medical experts advise activity in the heat or even an indoor exercise and good nutrition. When you of your level of activity, you still need to
temperatures rise, staying properly replaced, but remember that when you marathon runners to consume extra salt. exercise program should drink eight exercise, your body’s metabolism works maintain good hydration. So remember
hydrated becomes even more important. sweat, you are not just losing water, This advice should also be considered by to 12 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 at a much higher rate, breaking down to always drink plenty of water to beat
Even if you are not engaged in strenuous you are losing minerals such as sodium anyone exposed to excessive heat. Salt is minutes during a session. If exercising and regenerating tissues and creating the heat, but also up your intake of
activity, you will sweat more in the heat and potassium which also need to critical in maintaining hydration. exceeds an hour, a beverage that waste metabolites that need to be flushed electrolytes, particularly sodium and
and humidity. Even mild activity will be replaced. This is why athletes and As we age, our kidneys become less contains salt and an energy carbohydrate out of your system. However, regardless potassium.
increase your body temperature and runners drink sports drinks like Gatorade efficient at conserving salt when the body is far superior to plain water. The
your body’s need to sweat. rather than just water. Replacing water is stressed and common medications recommended concentration of salt in
This is especially the case for without sufficient sodium can quickly such as diuretics greatly increase that a fluid replacement beverage is a quarter
anyone participating in any sort of produce hyponatremia, a potentially risk. That’s one of the reasons that during teaspoon per liter. Most sports drinks
exercise program. Our bodies produce fatal condition. severe high temperatures, news stories contain salt, although the amount is
sweat in order to regulate our core Hyponatremia symptoms are most often refer to elderly victims of the not quite that high. Anyone can make
body temperature. As the moisture similar to those of heat exhaustion and heat. an alternative to commercial fluid
that appears on your skin evaporates, heat stroke and are often overlooked. The proper balance of electrolytes replacement beverages easily by adding
you cool off. Sweating is more efficient Sometimes people drink more water in the human body is essential for a quarter to a half teaspoon of salt per
in dry conditions than areas with high when they start having these symptoms normal function of the cells and liter or 32 ounces of water.
humidity. In fact, human beings are the and end up making their condition organs. Electrolytes help to regulate Every day, more and more
most effective mammal when it comes worse. Symptoms range from mild to cardiovascular and neurological Americans are motivated to start exercise
to regulating our body temperature. At severe and can include nausea, muscle functions, fluid balance and oxygen programs. Physical fitness is a state
the extreme, an adult can sweat as much cramps, disorientation, confusion, delivery. of good health resulting from regular

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