For the last couple of weeks, I've been getting my young daughters into doing a bit of exercise by walking them to school instead of driving. It's only 2kms, but it's up hill most of the way, so it's a nice workout for their little legs and a fine warm-up for me. After I drop them off I hit the road on the bike and do a 20km circuit back home. I could do more, but time doesn't allow for more on a week day.


Oh yes, and I've been paying special attention to my middle daughter who is very sensitive about her weight. She is overweight in all honesty, but not overly so. We don't make a thing of it, just ensure she eats healthy. She isn't very physical though. Never has been. She's quite clumsy and accident prone because of it, and I think that has taken its toll on her self esteem too. It was when she said she did a push-up for a friend at school, and went on to say she thinks her exercise programme is working, that I started to talk to her about diet and exercise, along with basic strength training.

The result of all this is that we started on her revised exercise programme as of Monday. We are helping each other do one push-up and one sit-up everyday this week with the hopes of being able to do two next week. But only if the one this week is following good technique, is done slowly down and up (or up and down as the case may be). We follow that with planking for as long as we (she) can, before we work on some balancing/foot/ankle strengthening exercise. She thinks she is already starting to feel a little fitter and stronger and her confidence has slightly increased, so I think we might be onto a winner for her.

Mick