The dreadful time of starting a new school year is upon us. For most college and university students this usually means one of two things when it comes to fitness:
1- Putting being a good student aside, school for you means being away from the folks and partying with friends. This goes hand in hand with eating whatever you want which usually includes a lot of junk food and alcohol.
Or
2- Balancing school, life, and a job is overwhelming enough! You have no idea where you would fit in maintaining a regular workout schedule on top of all that!
Whether you are 1, 2 or a mixture of both, eating right and staying healthy will decrease your chances of getting sick and help you stay more focused for your studies. Staying healthy during a hectic semester is easier than it looks. All you need is a few guidelines and the right tools.
Here are 7 great tips to help you get on track this school year:
Food- Making the right food choices becomes more difficult the busier you get, and most students get caught up in going for whatever’s quick and easy, or something they can nimble on to get through those late night cram sessions. This usually results in meals and snacks of frozen pizza, take out, Ramen noodles, chips and candy. There are plenty of options out there that can be just as quick but a lot more healthy. For snacks, get stuff like nuts, beef jerky, peanut butter on fruit or celery, and veggies with dip. For meals, a convection oven can work miracles for making small meals of just about anything, and frozen veggies cook up real easy in the microwave. Just use your brain and think outside the box.
Write it Down- Amidst all the books you need to buy for your classes you should include a notebook dedicated to fitness and calorie journaling, as well as something you can write out your daily schedule in. You’d be surprised, but writing it out actually does make a difference in noticing what you are eating and how much exercise you are actually getting in. Writing out your schedule makes it is easier to see where you can fit in a workout, and by giving the gym time a designated time slot you will be less likely to skip out.
Get a water bottle– We all know by now that we need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Drinks like coffee, juice and soft drinks don’t count so get in the habit of carrying a stainless steel or glass water bottle with you to classes. Water goes a long way in keeping you focused and alert, so stay hydrated this semester!
Be realistic– Once school gets going everybody has more and more on their plate, so set fitness goals that are realistic and work for you. If you can’t get to the gym everyday perhaps that is just not a realistic goal for you to attain at the moment. Don’t stress yourself out about it because that will just set yourself up for disappointment and cause you to give up. Start off small and work your way up. Studies have shown that even doing vigorous exercise for as little as 15 minutes a day can have great health benefits.
Astone Fitness’ Circuit7 series is a great way to get in a full body workout in just 7 minutes without ever leaving your dorm room.
Join the School Team –Joining your school’s sports teams is a great way to have regular exercise, not to mention pick up chicks! Being on a team will force you into maintaining a fitness routine: practices will give you a regular schedule you have to follow and your teammates will rough you up if you’re a no show!
Get in. Get Out. When hitting the gym, do it at a time where you’ll be able to enjoy it and maximize your time. Try to go on days where you have less classes and at times when the gym is less crowded to avoid wasting time waiting for machines. Gyms tend to be quieter in the morning or early afternoon.
Stay Home. It is important to keep your routine as regular as possible, so if you’re having a hard time making it to the gym why not try cutting out the travel time and working out at home? There are now so many at-home workout systems that are compact, easy to store, and give you a phenomenal full body workout. Try Ripcords or The Human Trainer. Don’t forget that if all else fails you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, bike instead of bus, or just toss a football around with your bud. Every bit counts! Exercise improves your mood, concentration and health, and weight so make it a regular part of your study schedule.
CLICK HERE for more info on how exercise can help you get good grades.
Have a great school year and don’t study so hard!
Astone’s Back to School Sale going on NOW!
Sources: Collegebodu.wordpress.com, livestrong.com
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