Goal setting in college is hard. However, there is one common goal that exists amongst us all. I always overhear students on campus saying, “I wish I worked out more.”
The influence of exercise culture is prominent in many parts of life, whether you are scrolling through Instagram videos or creating New Year’s resolutions.
Whether you aspire to emulate the lives of feel-good yoga influencers or intense muscle-builders, all gym-goers have similar goals. And generally, a lot of these goals revolve around body image.
While it can be helpful to set physical goals for yourself, those goals don’t even begin to cover the most important parts of exercise. Exercise is necessary for its mental benefits, especially in stressed out college students.
From exams to papers, college students are under a lot of stress. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress is essential to long-term success in college.
Exercise, when utilized correctly, can be an amazing way to let go of stress for a short period of time while also doing something beneficial for your body. According to the National Library of Medicine, “exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.”
Body movement causes the release of endorphins in the brain, which helps improve your mood. Additionally, cognitive function increases when you work out. By exercising, you are not only strengthening your body, but you are also strengthening your mind.
Exercising regularly will help regulate your anxious thoughts, and keep your stress levels in check!
Exercise can also help improve your self-esteem. Too often as young women, we underestimate what our bodies are capable of. We commonly think to ourselves, “I’m not strong enough for this” or “I am too weak to do that.” We never truly put our bodies to the test. And, more often than not, we are wrong about ourselves!
By exercising, we get to see that our bodies are so much more capable than we give them credit for. By seeing and growing your strength, exercise helps improve your self-esteem, increasing your gratitude towards yourself and your body.
Even outside of the gym, exercise can help you set healthy habits for yourself. By making time to workout, you are prioritizing self-care and learning how to set and keep routines. By going to the gym or an exercise class even just once a week, you make a commitment to yourself, and over time, you’ll learn how to keep this commitment.
Willpower in keeping an exercise routine improves your ability to balance your life, which is a necessary part of success!
Many people are intimidated by the idea of going to their school’s fitness center, or even just working out independently. However, there are so many ways to add physical activity into your life.
If going to the gym on your own isn’t your thing, you have countless options! You can join a yoga class, visit a barre studio, or simply go on a walk. Do anything that gets your body moving.
Learn how you hold yourself accountable. Whether that’s working out with other people, or treating yourself to some alone time, ensure that you get in some physical activity.
By doing so, you will see improvements not only in your physical strength, but in your mental strength as well!
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