Shannon Ponton makes a living out of changing peoples lives as a pro fitness trainer on The Biggest Loser. With over 20 years of experience in the industry Shannan is a wealth of knowledge on all things fitness and health.
Shannan has recently teamed up with BOB strollers, so Rescu. caught up with him to find out how a professional trainer balances fitness and parenting and the best ways to create a healthy lifestyle for your kids.
Rescu: At what age would you recommend parents begin to approach the topics of fitness and exercise with their children?
Shannan Ponton: From day one – the week my wife got home from hospital after giving birth to our son we started walking with our BOB stroller everyday, it made my wife feel good about herself and even as a new baby, Max picked up on the energy and feeling of being active and getting out in the fresh air. He loved it! Our family believes in health and exercise and that is what I am instilling in my son, rather than preaching to him it will simply be “monkey see, monkey do” as he will experience a healthy lifestyle from day one.
Rescu: What are the best types of physical activity that parents should encourage their young children to engage in?
Shannan Ponton: Anything that’s fun and introduces an element of accomplishment is great for kids. Exercise for kids shouldn’t be training, it should be fun things – add in a ball, skateboard, scooter.
Encourage hand-eye coordination with sports like basketball or netball, ensure their eye-foot coordination develops with sports like AFL or soccer, and make sure they learn balance through dancing, surfing, boxing, or simply jumping on the scooter or skateboard. The motor patterns that children lay down as kids will last a lifetime.
Rescu: And what about work outs for parents? What types of fitness should we focus on in our thirties, forties and fifties?
Shannan Ponton: Again try anything you enjoy and that you find fun – there is no use pulling on your joggers everyday, going for a run and hating it. We have a myriad of options available to us so find something you enjoy – try social sports like recreational tennis, challenge yourself with CrossFit sessions or try something high-energy like a Zumba class. My advice is to find something you enjoy because you’ll be more likely to stick to it. And remember it’s ok to feel out of your comfort zone as an adult. Kids are always trying new things and challenging themselves. Take a leaf out of their book – don’t be scared, give it a go!
Rescu: What’s your number one work out that parents and children can do together?
Shannan Ponton: Anything your family enjoys – I loved going for a family bike ride as a kid. You could have a hit of tennis, go surfing or for a bush walk. Anything you enjoy doing together.
For new mums looking to get back into shape, simply walking or jogging with your bub in their stroller is a perfect way to integrate your baby into your workout.
Rescu: How would you recommend that parents motivate their children to participate in physical activity?
Shannan Ponton: By being great role models, it’s not a matter of telling them to do something. It’s leading by example. Kids are wonderful imitators, as parents we need to give them something wonderful to imitate.
Shannan Ponton is one of the expert fitness trainers featured on The Biggest Loser.
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