No Excuses: Fit Family Challenge Day Across N.C.

Today is the day! As proclaimed by Governor Pat McCrory, April 21 is Fit Family Challenge day across the state. It's also the official kick-off of the 2015 Fit Family Challenge, a healthy lifestyle program created to get families out and about being active together.

We know that bad habits are hard to break, and healthy habits take time to stick. That's why we created the Fit Family Challenge. The eight-week healthy lifestyle program is designed to motivate families with tips, advice, free classes and prizes to push old habits out and start new healthy ones together. Here's how it works:

1. Sign up at CharlotteParent.com/FitFamilyChallenge. 
If you've participated in the Fit Family Challenge before, you should have received an email with instructions on logging back in to track your healthy activities and earn points to win prizes.

2. Get moving.
For every 150 minutes of exercise each family member does a week, you each earn 100 points, which equals an entry toward winning prizes. If you drink more water, eat more vegetables and fruit, you'll earn points for that too. Just be sure to go into your Activity Log and record all the healthy activities you do. 

3. Each 100 points earned is an entry to win!
We'll be giving away weekly prizes and the grand prize — a family vacation to Universal Orlando® Resort. (Though it is random-prize drawings, the more points you earn, the more chances you have to win).

Being healthy doesn't mean you have to run a marathon. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of exercise each week. That equals 30 minutes, five days a week, and can be walking the dog, going on a family bike ride or walk after dinner, or playing a game or soccer or basketball together. It also includes sitting down to eat together, slowing down and trying to eat a balanced diet, starting with a healthy breakfast (we have you covered with some ideas from our Fit Family Challenge nutrition expert).

I'm kicking the day with Good Morning Charlotte at FlyWheel Charlotte. FlyWheel is one of the many community fitness classes that participants in the Fit Family Challenge can do at no cost. Yes, that's right FREE! It's a way to try some different fitness activities, including Barre and aerial classes! Many of the classes are for adults only, though some do include kids. Kids for the most part have many more opportunities to be active from playing at recess to team sports, but we believe parents are role models, so we wanted to motivate Mom and Dad have the opportunity to try new classes.

Learn more about the free classes, see tips from our experts, follow the blog for inspiration from two families who are letting us follow them on their Fit Family Challenge journey. Sign up now and join the fun!