Got a couch potato kid? How to encourage them to get more active

10 July 2019

Worried about the health of your kid? Your child may be playing too many video games, for instance, and no matter what you do you can’t get them to go outside and soak up some fresh-air. You say that it wasn’t like this when you were a kid – you were never in the house, right? But times have changed, and if you’re struggling to get your child in-shape, here are a few tested methods that may work for you.

Fat Camp from Prestige Bootcamp

While your child may be reluctant to engage in organised exercise, a great way of quickly losing weight and starting to enjoy physical activity is by joining a Fat Camp from Prestige Bootcamp. Prestige Bootcamp provide bootcamps all across Europe offering 28 day weight-loss plans where attendees are taught best practices on how to lose weight, as well as offered advice around diet and nutrition. Not only is this a great way for them to lose weight, but it also provides the opportunity to make some new friends, too.

Be a role model

It’s important to be a role model when it comes to trying to get your child to move from the couch. There’s no use berating them for being lazy when all you do is sit on the couch and eat badly, too. Children are impressionable, and they’ve most likely picked up their habits from somewhere close to home. Set a good example and maybe get active yourself or introduce some healthier foods to the home. Why not embark on a run together, or join a karate club? Not only will this be perfect for getting fit, but it will also provide a handsome opportunity for some parent/child bonding.

Look for something fun

Exercise doesn’t have to be arduous and hellish; it should actually be something we enjoy. If your child enjoys exercising, then they’re much more likely to make it a habit and continue with their physical pursuits. When looking to get your child off the couch, it helps if you find something they enjoy where they can make friends. It may be the case that you have to try a few different things before you find something they love, and when you do it’ll all be worthwhile. It may be the case that your child prefers individual activity over team-sports, whatever the case it’s a good idea to test the waters first.

Age Appropriate Activity

Before throwing your child out into the big bad world of physical excursion make sure that the activity you’ve signed them up to is age appropriate. There’s no point sending a five year old to weightlifting classes or a thirteen year old to an early learners swimming class. It’s best to speak to your child about what they enjoy and find something that matches their interests, maybe there’s some after school clubs that one of their friends attends?

If your kid is a couch-potato and isn’t showing any signs of making a move, try out the above methods to help introduce some physical activity into their daily lives. We aren’t talking a full-scale military fitness routine, but something ideally that the child can enjoy and develop a passion for, something skill based and sociable.