How to make fitness a family affair

For many parents and kids in the GTA, fitness is a family affair. So how do they make it work amid their busy schedules? We asked a few local families for their advice on working out together — and keeping things fun in the process.

Parents: Jeff and Lisa Davidson

Kids: Brady, 4

Lives: Toronto

How they stay fit together: Jeff and Lisa incorporate all sorts of fitness activities into their family time — from running to cycling — and Lisa also did her yoga teacher training while she was pregnant. “(Brady) often asks me to ‘play yoga’ — I have these kid yoga cards,” Lisa says. The grass outside the Harbourfront Centre gives all three a chance to exercise outside, whether it’s a few yoga positions or just Brady running around like a typical toddler.

Their tips for family fitness: Lisa says families can squeeze in exercise by taking walks together, even it’s just a 15 to 20-minute walk after dinner, and building from there. Biking works too, she says, but sometimes downtown parents say they can’t cycle with their kids because they don’t own a bike. “But if you go across to the Island, you can rent a bike there, or take advantage of the Bixi bikes across the city.” Lisa also knows children as young as 6 and 7 who’ve run 5-kilometre races with their parents. “The goal is not to win — the goal is to finish, no matter what the time is,” she says.

Parents: Victoria and Wade Speirs

Kids: Charlie, 5 and Lorelai, 2

Lives: Orangeville

How they stay fit together: These Orangeville parents are hardcore runners — with Victoria training for the Toronto Marathon in the fall, and Wade doing 50-kilometre “ultra races.” And it’s something they bring the kids into as well, by taking Lorelai in a running stroller and signing Charlie up for a 1-kilometre kids’ race. “They feel included,” says Victoria. “We have our training plan during the week, and one day when we have a light day, we take the kids too.”

Their tips for family fitness: “I find kids really do focus on dates — like the countdown to Christmas or their birthday — they know and anticipate it, and they like that,” Victoria says. “Why not do that with a running day?” Lots of kids are overscheduled in sports and other activities, she adds, while her family enrolls each child in just two activities each — leaving more time for family fitness.

Parents: Faniya Rakhimzyanova and Dmitriy Artyukhov

Kids: Teddy, 5

Lives: Vaughan

How they stay fit together: Faniya says she went to figure skating school in her youth and her son Teddy started skating as soon as he could stand, so it makes sense this Vaughan family often skates together at nearby Maple Arena. They also love to travel together — from Asia to Europe — and incorporate hiking into those trips.

Their tips for family fitness: If people want to be healthy, there are so many places to go in Vaughan, Faniya says. Her family lives close to a park filled with trails, offering a chance to hike and teach Teddy about nature while they’re at it. “When you’re hiking, all your muscles are working,” she adds.

Parents: Jacqueline Willis and Mark Willis

Kids: Sarah, 23, Jacquie, 29 (married), Johnathan, 27 (back at home)

Lives: Pickering

How they stay fit together: Fitness has long been a family affair for the Willis clan, with Mark coaching his son Johnathan’s hockey team while the girls — mom Jacqueline and daughters Sarah and Jacquie — all danced together, doing everything from hip hop to ballet. Even now, with the kids all grown up, the Willis parents still work out with Sarah, who lives with them in Pickering. Their choice? CrossFit, a workout incorporating elements from powerlifting, gymnastics, high-intensity interval training, and other disciplines. “She takes it a little bit more seriously than we do,” says Jacqueline. “We’re just trying to keep young and mobile.”

Their tips for family fitness: “My feeling is, to be active and busy with them, going to the park, riding your bike, putting on rollerblades, hiking — just being active and outdoors with your kids,” says Jacqueline. Getting involved with your kids’ activities — rather than plunking them in front of a TV — is key, she adds.