TM
st re ng t hing f a m ilie s f r o m w i t h i n
POWERED BY FOUR BARREL FITNESS
By Adam &
Kristin Kleinert
FamFitter:
Year in
Review
year’s worth of exploring
the path to a fitter family
has made for an interesting
journey. Words we’d use
to describe it include
the following: frustrating,
enlightening, empowering, entertaining.
Sometimes it was rather fun; sometimes it was
a downright chore, though it was never boring.
This month, as the calendar year comes to a
close, we look back on what we feel has been,
at the very least, progress.
We started the year with an ultimate goal
to become more intentional concerning our
family’s overall health. In this aspect alone, we
feel we’ve succeeded. We’ve researched, learned
about and tried our hands at ideas ranging from
family workout routines to packing healthier
school lunches. We’ve shared our endeavors and
results in an effort to help other families that may
be interested in progressing alongside us. While
we aren’t the poster-household for perfect health
and wellness, we’ve made changes to our habits
and reorganized our methods. We’ve succeeded
and we’ve failed, but the overall result is a distinct
upgrade in our former standard.
For instance, our pantry is looking exceedingly
fitter and so does the fridge. Fresh foods are more
abundant and processed items are few and far
between. Concepts such as baking our own breads
and making homemade snack items took some
getting used to but have now become habitual
A
44 EXTOL SPORTS / DECEMBER 2017
We’re all in this together.
and consume very little of our precious time.
Our “ballgame snack sack” (a.k.a. Operation
Curb the Concession Stand Dependency) stays
near at hand in the kitchen and is quickly filled
with reasonable snack items before rushing
out the door.
The hustle and bustle of our daily life helps keep
us active and, while we still need to regularize
a solid exercise routine, we’ve armed ourselves
with tools to create a regimen that works for the
varying needs of our family members. We’re a
far cry from perfection, but we’re getting better.
Above all, the most positive aspect of our
FamFitter adventure is definitely this: Our children
are learning that their health and fitness are
important to us. Making an effort, implementing
new ideas and fostering key changes to any family
lifestyle is a demonstrative representation of the
value a parent places on a particular concept.
We want our children to prioritize wellness.
We must continue to provide them with skills and
examples they’ll need in their own quests. While
we aspire to create healthy habits that last, we
can’t let ourselves become complacent or tired.
We know we have much room for improvement.
2018’s Kleinert tribe will have to measure itself
against 2017’s, and that’s a challenge to which
we must rise.
KRISTIN
Here’re a few things I’ve learned this year:
Kroger Click List is my best friend. The
convenience alone is a luxury with which I am
exceedingly happy each and every time I partake.
But I’ve also learned it’s an efficient avenue, not
only for saving time and money, but also for
planning and choosing healthier food options
than I do when I stroll through the actual store.
If grocery pickup service is my true BFF, my
crockpot is surely a close second. Our schedule
most days allows for very little prep and cooking
time. Knowing a protein is stewing away all day