You’ve replaced all the food in the house with healthful alternatives and convinced everyone that staying active is a new requirement. Still, how are you going to make exercise fun and not a boring chore?

Use your family’s love of gadgets to your advantage. One of the simplest and most effective tools available is a pedometer. Fitness advisors constantly implore us to take 10,000 steps a day, as this generally translates into having carried out the minimum amount of physical activity recommended.

As most daily activities involve approximately 3,000 steps, the remainder must come from actual exercise, and that means getting out and sweating for 30 minutes. Consider making a contest out of it as a way to keep everyone enthusiastic about accumulating the highest number of steps in a week.

Another good place to start would be with a vacation where physical activity features prominently into the schedule. Lazing on the beach is enjoyable; make it a point to walk around the town as well. Not only will you get to know the area better and make some interesting finds, it also helps you to attain a decent amount of physical activity.

Hiking or camping trips are an excellent way of achieving this purpose as well. Even if you can’t get away from home for an extended period, there are usually a number of parks nearby that are perfect for daylong exploration.

One way to create a sense of unity is bonding through ignorance. This means signing up for an activity none of you has done before. It could be something as simple as basketball or meditative as Tai Chi or yoga. Kids are more open to new experiences than adults are, and the opportunity to take the lead in a novel situation will most likely generate an enduring interest in staying active.

Set aside one evening a week for fitness pursuits together too. Each member of the family, even the 6-year-old, gets to choose the activity. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you’re exercising together. Having each person pick the workout prevents the burden from falling on the same person each time. It also averts tedium.

Pursuing fitness together not only keeps everyone happy and healthy, it also creates a bond between family members that is hard to disrupt. It might be difficult at first to get together 30 minutes weekly, but the rewards are tangible and lasting.