It’s now a fact that students tend to gain weight during their college years. It’s the time in young adult’s lives when they gain freedom for the first time. Aside from attending classes at specific times, they can eat, sleep, go out and study whenever they want. Of course, their decisions will either make or break their academic careers, but it doesn’t stop them from being who they are. One issue students at colleges like Northeastern University have is a lack of physical activity.
In college, you don’t have mandatory physical education, which means it’s up to you to get up and moving. Unfortunately, this isn’t a priority for majority of college students. If you’re worried about gaining too much weight or want to shed a few pounds while in college, keep the following tips in mind.
Walk Everywhere On Campus
Some universities are really big, but that doesn’t mean you have to drive everywhere. You should try to walk any reasonable distances you can throughout the day. This will get your heart pumping and muscles moving. If you’re already a bit sporty, you can try jogging from place to place.
Take the Stairs Instead of Elevators
If there are elevators in your school, use the steps instead. This will take longer, depending on the crowd and your mobility, but it will surely get your body working out. It’s even better if you have to climb up and down stairs for every class.
Ride a Bike Around Campus and Town
A bike can come in handy when you go to a school on a large campus. You can mix together walking and biking to ensure you are consistently moving about. Combine this with taking the stairs and you have yourself a nice daily workout. You can also use your bike in town when meeting friends for coffee or a meal.
Workout While Watching TV
This is the time when you gain a lot of weight – leisurely time in front of the TV, snacking on candy, chips and cookies. Instead of sitting down the entire time, bust out some jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups and lunges. Put together your own workout routine or use someone else’s. The Internet is a great resource for finding exercise plans.
Join a Sport
Try signing up for a sport in your college, such as basketball, softball, soccer, track, tennis, volleyball or swimming. This will ensure you get plenty of exercise. Make sure to attend all of your scheduled practices and train as hard as you can.
Dedicate 30 Minutes Daily to Working Out
This can be done either inside your dorm, at the gym or outside. Try engaging in yoga, running, biking or some other form of exercise. All you need is just 30 minutes per day to workout. Add this to your schedule at a time that’s most convenient. Some find the morning to be more optimal, while others prefer the middle of the day or the evening. If you have to switch it up throughout the week based on class schedules, then so be it.
Do whatever it takes to get your workout in!
