The Weiss family epitomizes what it means to be a fit family. Margie Weiss is a physical trainer. Her daughter is a figure skating coach. Her son Michael Weiss (michaelweiss.org) is a two-time Olympic figure skater.	A portrait of the Weiss family - from left to right, Geremi Howard; Daniel Howard, 5 months; Genna Frishman; Summer Clayton, 13; Margie Weiss' Chris Weiss, 11; Brooke Frishman, 6; and Michael Weiss. (Jahi Chikwendiu/the Washington Post)

The Weiss family knows all about staying fit

Dec. 14, 2010

By Vicky Hallett
Washington Post Staff Writer

For the holidays, your family probably sits around and eats. I know mine does. But the Weiss clan of McLean, Va., has a different tradition: Just before Christmas every year, 61-year-old personal trainer Margie Weiss gathers her six grandchildren, puts them in elf ears and reindeer hats, and has them assist her in leading a weight-pumping workout to holiday tunes.

Instead of comfort food, Margie has taught her family to dig into what she calls "comfort activity." "You like what you're used to," says the former competitive gymnast. "It's just what we do."

The result is something we all wish Santa would deliver: a healthy family. Too often, spending time with our loved ones during this time of year translates into lazy days and decadent dinners. But these gatherings are also opportunities for a winter warm-up and a chance to pass on active habits to the next generation.

Chances are you've heard of Margie's 34-year-old son, Michael Weiss, a two-time Olympic figure skater who has turned pro (catch him in "Stars on Ice" at Verizon Center in March). Her daughters Geremi, 37, also an accomplished skater, and Genna, 38, a former world junior diving champ, have both joined the family training business, Body by Weiss.

Even great-grandpa Lewis B. Sims, who's 101 and in an assisted living facility, lifts weights to keep up his strength. Margie proudly notes that when her dad turned 98, he complained that his two-pounders were too light. So these days, he hoists three-pound dumbbells. And I can only imagine how prepared the youngest Weiss, Geremi's 5-month-old, is for a life of sport. Margie's already monitoring his flexibility by stretching his legs every time she changes a diaper.

The key to getting kids to move, explains Michael, is to do it with them. "I never say, 'You go do this.' It's always, 'Let's go do this,' " says Michael, who often joins his 11-year-old son, Christopher, for his team's off-ice hockey workouts, which include trail runs and agility drills. An evening in front of the TV with his wife and two children always features group stretching. Even the family dog, Varly, learned how to run on the treadmill, so he can get in on the action when the whole gang's in their home gym.

That kind of environment is what makes a born athlete, Margie says. Genetics and raw talent play a factor, of course, but having a supportive network that values healthy living can make a major difference in how kids view activity for the rest of their lives.