I’d like to introduce you to a new blogger, Candy AKA Imperfect Mama.  Candy enjoys exercising while playing with her kids and has some great frugal tips for us to include fitness in our daily routines.  We might not even notice we’re exercising!:

We are a pretty fit and active family.  By fit and active, I do not mean we go to the gym multiple times a week, we are constantly weighing and taping ourselves, and only eat whole, organic foods.  By fit and active, I mean we eat what we want in moderation and we are active in normal, ordinary ways while maintaining a  recommended body weight.  We are always looking for fun ways to spend time together as a family while still being active and raising our heart rate from more than a jog from the kitchen table to the couch.

Some people think that to be active and healthy, you have to spend a lot of money.  I am here to tell you that is simply Not True.  You can be healthy and active on any budget, including one that has no money in it for fitness equipment.  The only equipment you need is your body, but I’m sure many of you have some of this other stuff, too.  Some of these are no-brainers, others are things you may not have thought of before.

First–explore where you live on foot!  We live on a small hobby farm in the middle of nowhere, but I realize that some of you may live in the middle of a city.  Regardless, explore your surroundings.  Take a walk in the woods on your property, walk around your apartment building, or walk to the corner market next time you need a loaf of bread.  Instead of getting the mail when you pull in the driveway, park your car in the normal spot and then walk to the end of your driveway to get the mail.  Walking is free and you will see so much more than you realize when your kids are pointing things out from their vantage point.  Not only are you getting exercise, but you are spending quality time together.

Second–explore your extended area on bike!  Put helmets on the kids, throw the baby in the bike stroller and go for a bike ride to the park or lake or neighbor’s house to deliver a get-well card.  It doesn’t matter where you go, it matters that you are being active, getting fresh air and spending time with your family.

Three–play outdoor games together when the weather permits.  On summer evenings you’ll often find our entire family outside playing basketball, softball or badminton until the sun goes down.  Even if you don’t have a basketball hoop, I’m sure you have a ball and a laundry basket that will make do in a pinch.  You’ll sleep better after all the activity and fresh air, too.

Five–every 2 years we celebrate the Olympics with our own family version.  For the summer Olympics in 2008 we had an Equestrian event with stick horses, an obstacle course, a bike race, and a relay foot race.  For the winter Olympics in 2010, we played hockey in the driveway with a tennis ball, had a sled race, made snowballs and threw them at a target, and also had a snow angel contest.  All of this was done at no cost, in our yard, and was a ton of fun.

Six–turn some chores into fun and active events.  Need to sweep the floor?  Play floor hockey with a couple brooms and a ping-pong ball.  Need to pick up toys or dirty clothes?  Turn it into a game of basketball by tossing the toys/clothes into a basket and other family members trying to block shots.

I could go on and on, but the whole point of this post is to give some ideas, and help you realize that just about anything can become a fun and active family event with a little bit of imagination and some ambition.  You do not need a lot of money or gadgets to be an active, healthy family.  Just find what your family likes to do and make it something that will get your heart pumping, too.  You’ll all be thankful for it.