With summer in full swing it can seem daunting to even want to exercise. The temperatures are sweltering outside, the kids have swim lessons, summer camps, and birthday parties while making you feel like you are going from one barbecue to the next. Here are 4 ways to make the chore of fitting fitness into your lifestyle the fun and easy way wherever you may be while still including your kids throughout the process.

At the pool: Kids love the pool in the summertime and want to be there all day long. If you have a pool in the backyard it is even easier to build an exercise routine right around their pool play time. Start with doing lunges around the outside of the pool while you watch the kids swim. It will allow you to interact with the kids and squeeze some exercise into an otherwise sedentary activity. You can substitute squats for lunges if you have limited space. If you enjoy swimming as an exercise, by all means hop into the pool and do a few laps. If you are more land based than aquatic, stick to lunges, squats, pushups and basic exercises that you can do while still watching the kids having family fun time. You can bring a set of small weights to hold while you circle the pool to do bicep curls and tricep kickbacks as well.

In the backyard: The kids are playing, the birds are chirping, you want to sit under the old oak tree and read a book. Resist the urge to be sedentary and get the kids involved in a fun game of tag and chase. It will give you a quick cardio boost while keeping your kids active as well. Play a game of leap frog and burn calories while doing squats and hops. A game of follow the leader will work too and you can lead. Do a squat, a push up, a jump up or a few mountain climbers to get the kids and yourself moving. Especially with obesity in kids being so abundant throughout America, it’s great to get your kids involved with fitness through fun games to keep them interested while staying healthy.

At the beach: A game of volleyball with the kids or even adults is fun. If volleyball isn’t your thing, try paddle ball, badminton or any series of fun games that will keep you in motion. If your kids are old enough to walk, a light jog down the beach can be fun and can also double as bonding time with your kids. If you decide that building a big sandcastle is the activity, make a game of getting the water by running to the ocean, scooping it up and running back to the spot to dump the water. Sit in a squat position, instead of that beach chair to keep your body in motion. Use the sand buckets as weights, full of water, while putting one in each hand and do bicep curls and lunges to the ocean and back. Keep it fun and your kids will want to work out with you and they won’t even realize it.

You time: For some of us we need "you time". A time for one hour maybe three times a week that we know we can dedicate purely to exercise. If you know that you can take an hour or more importantly deserve an hour, hire a personal trainer to come to your home and give you a full body workout. Most of us feel guilty needing "you time" so we start the laundry, do the dishes, and clean the house. The problem lies with when the kid’s batteries are recharged and they are ready to play with us we are exhausted while still not having taken any time just for ourselves. Being able to have a certified, qualified personal trainer come to you, on your time, at your home, office, backyard, pool, beach or any location you wish can be priceless. Take time for you and hire an in home personal trainer today to get you moving. Most in home personal trainers will share exercises that you can do with your kids as well so that you can make fitness a family experience.

The bottom line is that fitness can be fun for you and your entire family. It’s important to reach your fitness goals while getting your kids involved with a healthy lifestyle from an early age. Having kids can be a full time job leaving little time for fitness, but getting them involved while maintaining a healthy lifestyle will show them by leading as a great example that fitness is fun.