How active is your family?

[taco.vidal]

The Pokeman Go hype has gotten me asking this. Im suprised to see people on the news saying things like 'I now have a reason to go outside' or 'We havent been out for a walk in since forever' or 'Pokemon's gotten me off the couch and active'.

I think most families we know break into three groups
-parents active, kids active
-parents inactive, kids active
-parents inactive, kids inactive
I cant think of any families I know where the parents are active, but kids are inactive.

In my family, sports and the outdoors play a huge part of our lives. We all have other passions and interests but pretty much everything we do is focused around sports, from our daily routines to travel and planning time off work.

I think Pokemon is great if it gets people out who havent been getting off the couch. But it does identify a bigger problem of people being inactive. Especially in Calgary there is so much to do and even for something like a simple walk or bike ride, there is so much to explore that you shouldnt need a video game to get you out. And if you want to participate in sport, recreationally or competitively, there is so much opportunity in this city.

What does your family do to keep active? If youre not active, what would help you get more active?

[CliffFletcher]

Kids get 1 hour a day of screen time, 2 hours on Fri/Sat. That schedule has always been in place, so the kids are used to it and they don't complain.

They spend 1-2 hours a day, 3-4 hours a day now that school is out, playing at the local playground or riding bikes with friends.

We go for family bike rides 2-3 times a week. Recently rode around the reservoir.

Swimming 2-3 times a month.

Nature walks at Glenmore Park or Fish Creek 2-3 times a month.

In winter, skating at outdoor rinks 2-3 times a week. Tobogganing about the same.

Then there's the organized stuff (gymnastics, karate) twice a week. We take the summer off from those activities.

[Fuzz]

No kids, I try to do something every day. I bike commute, so that's 40 minutes. I'll do weights 2-3 times a week unless I am busy doing yard projects(which is a bigger workout!) Weekends I'll run for 30 min-1 hour if I am not doing anything else, otherwise 1-2 hour bike rides, occasional hike, play disc golf often....Winter if I can't bike I'll usually fast walk home (1 hour) and cross country ski 2-3 times a week and downhill occasionally, and do weights more often. I've got good fitness, but my body shape doesn't show it. Ugh.

[Zarley]

I find that Pokemon Go is detrimental to my activity levels, as I find myself stopping at every Pokestop while running rather than maintaining a steady pace.

[The Yen Man]

I basically view exercise as a necessary evil, so I go to the gym 5 or 6 days a week for about 1-2 hours each session. That way, I don't feel bad sitting around the rest of the day. Can't say I hate exercise per say, but I definitely don't get any enjoyment out of it for the most part.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I find that Pokemon Go is detrimental to my activity levels, as I find myself stopping at every Pokestop while running rather than maintaining a steady pace.

ABSOLUTELY. I took my phone on a run and posted the slowest time I've ever had due to stopping or slowing down to fumble with my phone (i.e. turn it back on, resetting the app, occasionally catching a pokemon). Also, running with your phone is a real PITA. I'd love to see an actual interactive app of this nature for athletic pursuits however.

[Kiran403]

Not nearly as active as we should be. Kids play outside a bunch in the summer but rarely go out in the winter. The one issue is that our kids (ages 4 and 1) are in bed by 8:00pm and I don't get home from work until 6:30 so it's pretty much dinner, baths and bedtime.
My wife started going to the gym again and has been able to maintain her routine pretty well but that might change once September rolls around and school starts. I've been slacking a ton and need to get back into some sort of physical activity.

[OutOfTheCube]

We've been pretty inactive recently but our kid is only 1 year old. It's tough to do lots of active things when he can only just walk and is very little. We'll go for walks and pull him in the wagon, go to parks and let him play around a bit (though again, he's too little for most of the equipment). Once the kids are older it's easier to do stuff like getting outside to goof around playing sports and going for bike rides.

[bradster57]

We have two boys, 3 and 6. Both us and the kids are extremely active in the summer. Once winter rolls around and the sun goes down at 5pm, it takes a lot more effort to be active but we try to enroll the kids in skating, swimming etc.

I will say that I have zero desire to play Pokemon Go so doesn't impact us.

[tete]

I'm struggling with this right now. I walk or bike to work every day (5-7K round trip), and in the fall/winter/spring I dance once a week, but beyond that, we don't do much exercise. My daughter is 4 1/2 and by the time we get home from work/daycare, make supper and have a bit of downtime, it's time for her bedtime. My husband has taken on volunteering that takes him out of the house about two nights a week or on conference calls, so I can't leave the house after she goes to bed on those nights. We also live in a condo, so we don't even have a yard that my kid can run around in while I make supper or something. Nor do we have space for workout equipment anymore. I'm trying to get out a bit more on the bike on weekends for pleasure rides, but it's hit and miss since our weekends are usually spent running errands. So yeah, we're all pretty sedentary these days. I want this to change, but it's hard.

[pseudoreality]

I can't wait to read all the brags in here. So my wife and I cycle to/from work (~20 mins each way) and I tow our 2 year old daughter in a chariot. After supper we either go for a family walk or I just run the dog. My wife runs 3 or 4 times a week at lunch. When I'm in a health kick I'll do weights at home, but it's kind of like a few months on a few off. It's amazing how much extra work I have to do to be reasonably health because my job is primarily behind a desk. When I worked at a concrete plant throwing bricks for a living (literally), I got ripped and had no energy to any extra exercise after work.

[polak]

Don't live at home but it's Dad - Super active, Mom - Not active, Me as a Kid - Super active (Less so now), Sister - Active (not super active though cause when she's not doing her organized sport she's usually at home)

[GGG]

I would say we're pretty active. Weekends hiking or biking. Kids outside for an hour a day minimum even during school. Hiking / backpacking / camping generally on feet.

Though one area I struggle in is elevated heart rate activities as doing so much stuff with kids my exersion level is lower.

If you are struggling with Pokémon Go related running do High Intensity Sprints between Pokestops. But Pokerunning doesn't work great as you have no focus.

[Ironhorse]

We are a fairly active family. We try to limit screen time within reason, Mrs Ironhorse trains and competes in triathlons, my 9 y/o son trains and competes in Kids of Steel triathlons, and I've now also started training for triathlons in addition to playing regular rec hockey. Unfortunately the teenager, if I let him, would be a pasty white basement dweller. Fortunately we get him to walk and go on hikes.

[DoubleF]

Double income no kids. DINK.

Pre pokemon go we tried to go out for a 30 mins+ walk once a week with another activity on the side. Wife walks as part of her commute, I drive so she gets more activity than I do on a regular basis. She works out 1-2 times a week. I previously played floor hockey/dodgeball every week, but haven't been keeping up since March/April due to the awful excuse of being busy. We have instead tried to do other activities such as hiking, irregular dance sessions etc.

Post pokemon go, we walk more 2-3 times a week. But personally, my wife and I don't exactly view pokemon go as exercise. Both of us have a weird view, walking is good, but to include our walks as "exercise" to justify not needing to go work out or other activities isn't doing ourselves favors. We are looking into adding other activities such as dance lessons, swimming etc. to put more variation and regular physical activities into our routine.

Overall, we are decent. However, my wife and I think we can do more. Cardio is good, but we need some strength testing stuff included as well.

[Drak]

I'm pretty active I exercise a fair bit. My kid is active outside the house at school and in the activities he's enrolled in during the week. But my wife isn't very active which is a concern. She used to walk all the time but no longer does so.

[wwkayaker]

Just me and my dog. I work out 5-6 times a week. Every Monday evening is golf. I kayak 1-2/week. If it is not raining, I mountain bike almost daily. In the winter, I play hockey once a week, and cross country ski or snowshoe about 3 times each week. Sometimes the dog outings are with me (bike/cross country skiing) or are a separate activity each day. I'm proud to say that in 5 years of having my dog, she has not missed a daily walk or swim. Year round, I try to swim 1-2 each week. Normally, I downhill ski about 10-12 days a year and fish a dozen or so days,

I didn't think I was very active but I think I'm doing okay. I am still looking for a new town to live in which will allow me to kayak more.

[TheSutterDynasty]

Gym 6 days a week for 1.5 hours, when training for a race 50-80 km of running a week, plus at least one of biking/hiking/ultimate/golf/hockey a week. I obviously have no kids.

Pokemon go is great for me because I never actually take in the outdoors. Running and biking I'm going hard so strolling around with the game is great.

[jeffman]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

when training for a race 50-80 km of running a week

How do you do that without injuring your legs? I can't do 3 days of running 5+ km in a row without getting shin splints that take me out for the rest of the week.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by jeffman

How do you do that without injuring your legs? I can't do 3 days of running 5+ km in a row without getting shin splints that take me out for the rest of the week.

I have a couple friends who do I guess "adventure racing" competitively and they will go for 20+ km runs almost every day. They ran the Spartan Race World championships in Lake Tahoe last year, Death Race, Sinister 7 etc etc..

Practice man!