Small actions can help you exercise despite busy schedule
When it comes to working out, sleeping or doing homework, the latter two usually take precedence.
But busy schedules shouldn’t be an excuse to skip exercise, especially when all it takes is a little daily tweaking. By incorporating some minor changes into your daily routine, you’ll soon be able to balance the chaos of student life with an improved healthy lifestyle.
You’ll be surprised at how easy these changes are. Even the busiest students have time to heed the following suggestions.
For the somewhat busy
If you’re busy but still have a reasonable amount of downtime, these tips are exactly what you need to start experimenting with a more concrete workout routine.
Wake up early
Your weekly routine might be exhausting, but those 11 a.m. classes aren’t early enough to deem morning workout regimens impossible. Waking up just an hour or two earlier than normal is sometimes all it takes to become more active.
What can you do in the morning to stay fit? If you’re looking for a relaxed and easygoing ritual, aim for the outdoors. Jogs are perfect in the crisp morning weather, and fewer people outside means less congestion in the streets and on-campus.
If you don’t know the area well enough or feel awkward running on campus around fellow students, try the simple, two-mile loop around campus.
Buy exercise videos
Not the outdoorsy type? No problem. If you’d rather spend your free time indoors, it’s a good idea to invest in a collection of workout DVDs. You can choose from an array of different activities, including yoga, pilates and belly dancing. You don’t even have to throw on proper workout gear — just whip out a DVD and start moving.
If you’re strapped for cash, YouTube offers a variety of short and effective videos with great tips for staying active between study breaks.
Sign up for a local race
You don’t have to be a runner to enjoy 5K races. Signing up for a race a month or two from now will immediately inspire you to start fitting in training sessions around classes and other commitments. A long-term goal like a race is essential to finding the time to work out. Exercise isn’t all physical — the mental component is often just as difficult to overcome.
For the very busy
Sometimes setting aside time for exercise is next to impossible. If that’s the case, and you’re one of those constantly frazzled folk with no extra minutes to spare, these subtle tricks can work wonders.
Take the stairs, not the elevator
Got a class on the third floor? Instead of letting your finger do the walking in the push of a button, give your legs a chance to show their magic. The upward motion of climbing stairs will help tone your quadriceps, calves and glutes.
Stretch in bed
If you can’t sacrifice sleep by getting up early, simply use the 10 minutes or so you normally spend hitting the snooze button to perform some early morning stretches. Start by moving your toes back and forth and slowly rotate different areas of your body, such as your ankles and wrists.
Once your body feels energized from the stretches, wake yourself up even more with a combination of sit-ups, push-ups and jumping jacks.
Walk everywhere, don’t bike
Bicycles are fast and convenient, but they also burn fewer calories in a single distance than walking.
The average person burns approximately 100 calories per mile when walking and only about half that number when biking. Unless you plan on biking long distances, walking is a better choice for staying fit and improving your stamina.
Opt for longer routes
Have an extra 10 minutes between classes? If you’re not in a rush, take a detour and start moving those legs.
Walking not only burns calories, but also reduces blood pressure and improves the heart and lung systems.
You can choose longer routes in almost any situation. If you’re headed to the grocery store, ditch the car and make a walking trip of it with a buddy. Or, if you’re going downtown to a mall or movie theatre, look for parking spots far away from the building entrances. View the extra distances as opportunities to raise your endurance levels.
Working out, no matter how busy you are, is something everybody can do. You just have to learn what works best for you and how you can incorporate little changes into your day-to-day life.
Hannah Muniz is a sophomore majoring in East Asian languages and cultures and English. Her column, “Fit ‘n Fab,” runs Mondays.