College Survival Guide: The Exercising

It always happens. I am laying in the sand, breeze flowing through my hair, soaking up the sun. No thoughts of homework or newspaper deadlines or post-graduation plans. I’m about to take a sip of my strawberry daiquiri when “WE DON’T HAVE TO BE LONELY NO MORE! AND I’VE NEVER EVER BEEN THIS FOR SURE…” sings loudly in my ear.

My alarm is going off. It’s 6 a.m. and I have to make a choice. Get up, work out and feel awake and energetic the rest of the day. Or, throw my cozy comforter over my head and sleep a couple more hours.

Now, if I’ve had my seven to eight hours of sleep the night before {see my previous post on catching zzz’s} then getting up is usually the easy choice. The oh so many times I’ve chosen to exercise, I have never once regretted it.

Do I really need to go over the benefits of exercising? First of all: endorphins. Enough said. These little guys help me cope with pain and stress. They leave me feeling happy and more relaxed. And did I mention they help eliminate stress? What could be better than that?

Secondly, it helps me sleep better at night. It’s either a vicious or glorious circle, depending on the person. The more you exercise, the better to sleep. The better you sleep, the more energy you have to work out.

Finally, I look and feel my best since I graduated high school. I’ve successfully lost the freshman 15 and the sophomore 20. I’m more confident, and I’ve escaped that continuous ‘yucky’ feeling that comes when you sit around in classes and on the couch all day long.

Here’s how you get the most out of your workout.

#1 Get a routine. The minimum recommended amount of exercise is three days a week for thirty minutes. But like I said, that’s the bare minimum. Many studies I have read recommend three days of cardio and two days of strength workouts. I workout six days a week and rest the seventh. If you develop a specific time to workout each week, it’s easier to stick to it. If that time is already set aside for your workout, you’re more likely to plan around it.

#2 Get a variety. Once you’ve found your routine, make sure you are getting a variety of exercises. Running a couple miles every day not only gets boring, but your muscles adapt to the workout and no longer produce results. Mix up the type of workout between cardio and strength building. Also mix up the time of workout between short bursts of intensity and long, slow burns.

#3 Get a partner. Working out is certainly no fun when you have to do it alone. Find someone with a similar fitness level and drive and set some goals. You’ll enjoy the burn more with someone by your side. And you will be less likely to skip out with your partner keeping you accountable.

Here’s a link to one of my favorite workouts by Fitnessmagazine. It combines both a strength workout and interval cardio for a workout that kicks my butt in a short amount of time. I always feel the results.

Take some time to share your favorite workout tips in the comment section below!