New Activity + Outside = Family Fun & Energy Balance

Some of my best childhood memories were of my brother and I going on day long outdoor explorations.  We'd pack ourselves sack lunches and just head out with no real plans other than to play and discover.  Many times we'd head to a nearby lake and watch fish, catch garter snakes or even go visit our pet rock.  What is your favorite outdoor memory as a child?

Let's Move, the child obesity initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama, is promoting Let's Move Outside!.  Let's Move Outside! encourages parents to move outside with their children in order for them to achieve the recommended 60 minutes of active and vigorous activity each day.  Many children are not meeting this minimum recommendation, which is one of the many contributors of the child obesity epidemic.  The Let's Move website provides tons of ideas for families, including links to local activities depending on where the family lives.

One outdoor activity that I learned from a patient of mine last year is geocaching.  It's basically a high-tech treasure hunt that families anywhere in the world can enjoy.  Started by a man named Dave Ulmer in May of 2000, it was originally geared toward only the GPS user community that utilized that very new technology at the time.  Today, there are over 1 million "caches" all over the world that that can be found.  One may be just yards away from where you are sitting at this very moment!  Now mobile devices come with GPS technology, and there are applications that can pull up all the geocaches in your area on one screen.

Remember, simply stated, ENERGY IN (food) - ENERGY OUT (activity) = Weight Maintenance OR Weight Loss OR Weight Gain. It's all about energy balance, which is what dietitians specialize in. Although we talk much about the energy in part, we also need to discuss energy out. How are you balancing your energy?  How are you promoting energy balance in the life of your children?

Summertime is the perfect time of year to try a new family activity to promote good energy balance.  And at the same time, you are helping your build memories that they will eventually look back and remember with great happiness.  Learn about all the great outdoor activities in your area by going to the Let's Move website or, even try some geocaching!  What a way to spend quality time together, improve your health and be a great role model for your children.  For everything you need to know about geocaching including how to get started go to http://www.geocaching.com/.  In our next post, we will discuss proper hydration for children and adults while enjoying those great outdoor activities.  Stay tuned!