Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Hit The Ice!

It doesn’t matter if you live in the North or the South. Ice-skating is a great activity to get you and your family out and active. Most places have affordable rental skates so you can try ice-skating without buying the equipment.

Photo: bhsblog.co.uk
If you’ve never skated the first thing to learn is standing on the ice without falling. Take a few minutes to feel comfortable standing on the blades of your skates. From there you push your foot out to the side to go forward. Push of on first one foot, then the other. You are skating! Don't be afraid or embarrassed to hold on to your parent’s or friends hand. Everyone needs a little help when they first get started.

Photo: www.foxvalleyvalues.com
With enough practice and maybe a few lessons you can learn to skate backwards, do cool spins and if you practice long enough, maybe a jump or two. Or if ice hockey is more your style, learn how to skate fast and work with a hockey stick to pass to teammates and shoot a goal.

No matter what your preference of sports, ice-skating is fun with family and friends. Even the occasional fall is fun when everyone is skating together.

Enjoy this winter activity! In a few weeks the 2014 Winter Olympics begin and you will see how talented athletes compete for Olympic Medals.


Stay out there and be active!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Mid-winter Photography Scavenger Hunt

Photo: www.makeandtakes.com 

There are tons of things in and around your house and neighborhood that you probably don’t notice. Some are functional things used everyday and others only get used occasionally.  You and your friends can keep yourself active with a scavenger hunt inside and outside your house.

Scavenger hunts are easy. Just make a list of the things you need to find and the first person or team who completes the challenge wins! You can use a camera or phone to confirm you’ve seen the item. No cheating and copying images from the Internet. If no one finds all the items the person or team with the most finds wins!

Photo: Patti Saitow
Here’s a sample list of items to search for to get you started.

Sunglasses                            Book                           Cat
Baseball bat                          Markers                      Paper Clip
Whisk                                   Ruler                           Mailbox
Football                                Sneakers                      iPod
Wooden spoon                     Crayons                       StuffedAnimal         
Soccer ball                           Seashell                       Pillow
Colander/strainer                 Calculator                    Lamp
Roller skates/rollerblades    Clock                           Sunscreen
TV remote                            Tennis racquet             Milk
Baseball                                Kaleidoscope              Dog
Family photos                       Flowers (real or fake)
Headphones                         

Photo: Patti Saitow
Don’t tear up your house or your friend’s house looking for these things. Find them, photograph them and put them back where you found them.


Have fun, be safe and keep active!!

Friday, January 17, 2014

Winter Activities Indoors and Out

Winter is with us for at least a few more months so rather than hibernate watching TV or playing video games why not try some other activities to keep you active.

With all the snow left over from the storms of the last two weeks it is time to break out your sled or toboggan and go for a ride! Hills don’t have to be gigantic for this to be fun. Go to your local park with the whole family and go for a slide down a snowy hill. Mom, dad, brothers, sisters and the family dog will all have a great time. Remember to dress warmly with good waterproof boots to keep your toes nice and toasty warm.


Photo:www.cedarrocksportsplex.com
If sledding isn’t your thing maybe a pair of ice skates is more your style. Whether you glide along like an Olympic skater or
struggle to stay on your feet, ice-skating is a lot of fun and great exercise. Many places rent skates inexpensively if you don’t have your own pair so go out there and give it a try. I promise many LOL moments will follow.


Photo: www.crystalmountain.com

In the south there isn’t much snow or ice to be found. There are tons of hiking trails to explore. Even trails you’re familiar with can be new and exciting as migrating birds fly south for the winter so you can see all different kinds of birds.



Photo: Patti Saitow


On the beach the tides change and you can find tons more shells than in the summer. On a cold day you’ll find you have the beach to yourself to explore and discover.


Stay active, warm and healthy this winter!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Staying active during nasty winter weather

Photo: Patti Saitow
Image: grandmaideas.com
We’ve seen all the headlines the past two weeks about blizzards and dangerously low temperatures all over the country. Being outside in these conditions is dangerous and if you’re not dressed properly can have serious consequences.

So how do you stay active when it’s too cold, snowy or icy to go outside?

There are many things we can do indoors to keep your fitness level at “active”. Jumping rope is a
great indoor activity that keeps the heart pumping and burns some calories. Put on some fun music and jump along to the beat.

Photo:www.fitsugar.com
Push-ups require no outdoor activity and are great for building upper body and core strength. Start laying face down with hands shoulder width apart and parallel to your chest and your legs straight with your toes curled under. Push up with your body
as flat as you can. Don't bend at your waist. If your butt is sticking up you’re not doing it right. Do as many as you can until your arms won’t lift you. Do this every day and try to beat your number every time. Before you know it you’ll be able to do 20 in a row and your arms, back and core will be stronger.

For fun and exercise, turn on your favorite music and dance! It burns calories, relieves stress and is just plan fun!


So stay in, stay warm and stay active!


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!



From all of us at Diggin Active we want to wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Get out there, get active and enjoy 2014 to its' fullest!