Okay, so many of us are sitting on the sofa and staring at the Olympics on the TV. And who would argue with this fine pursuit?Except that after three weeks of television ogling, the British population might be a little less fit.

Indeed, new research has found that more than two-thirds of British family time is sedentary – and most of this family time together is spent in front of the TV.

But the same study – conducted by Argos –  also revealed that almost a third of parents are keen to be more active, with one in five saying that they would like play together as a family.

Added to this, another piece of research has found that the London Olympics is set to inspire more people to go out and enjoy a few more sports. The survey has confirmed that more people will be trying swimming and cycling in 2012, post-Olympics.

So how can you encourage your family to become more sporty – and hopefully a lot fitter and healthy?

Top tips for Olympics family fitness 

It doesn’t have to be a “proper” sport: You could trampoline in the back garden or jump on a pogo stick or take up archery. While many people think of keep fit as running, cycling and swimming, just being active will burn calories and keep your weight down.  You just need to work the muscles or get out of breath doing an activity for it to be of benefit to your health. So go ten-pin bowling, spin a hula hoop around your tum, play water pistol fights or learn to skip.

Indoors can be great for sport: While being outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air is a definite health and mood booster, with all the rain we’ve been having this summer there is a need for indoor fitness fun. Why not try a treasure hunt, spreading clues all over the house so the kids have to race between each clue? Or play balloon tennis, or switch on a Wii (if you have one). The board game Twister is another great active pursuit for all the family.

Make exercise a habit: Finding a way to add exercise to your routine will ensure that you don’t just give a sport a try once and then never again. You could cycle to school or work, or walk to the shops on a daily basis, or head out for a family walk after your evening meal.

Set an example: Kids that see their parents engaging in regular exercise are more likely to be fitter adults when they grow up. If you make exercise seem “normal” then it’s likely that even the most reluctant keep-fit children will embrace a healthier lifestyle. So being a fitter parent is good for your child’s health.