It is no secret to anyone that exercising on a regular basis makes all the difference to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When the practice is accompanied by a pleasurable feeling and brings noticeable results, the chances of becoming a habit increase. The practice of walking or running outdoors, such as squares, parks or even on the sidewalk, is an excellent alternative for people who don’t have much time or money to attend academies.
The Journalism second-year student, Beatriz Fialho, began to exercise after discovering she had high genetic cholesterol. Two years ago, she adopted the race as an important habit for her day-to-day life. For the Casperian girl, running benefits the body well beyond physical aesthetics, the biggest gain is the psychological. ”I run with the intention to connect with myself and to put out everything that is distressing me. Physically, running has helped me lose fat, but the biggest changes are those that you don’t see in the mirror. I’m a more focused person, more aware of my eating and I feel happier too’’, she says.
Marina Santin, of the 3rd year of Public Relations, believes that the race is an exercise that demand a lot of will. There is no one to encourage you, other than yourself and the desire to lead a healthy life. She found in practice an alternative that did not need many structures to perform. But also, she warns that you need to be strong enough not to give up, because the results don’t show up overnight. “I was able to see results in the second week, when I started to see my evolution in the race. The main benefits I noticed were: more disposition, my self-confidence increased, because I saw I was capable of improving – and it was only up to me!’’, she commented.
The great attraction of walking or running is the totally freedom which brings. And this can be a good incentive to get started! For Tamiris Oliveira, the 3rd year of Radio, TV and Internet, this was the main reason to start running. Group activities, such as volleyball or soccer, demand time, availability and commitment, and often the functional classes of the gym have a high investment. At these times, the use of public space to keep in shape is the best option. The student also emphasizes that unlike the gym, the environments are always changing. “It’s never the same people, the same places, the same weather. The weather can get in the way a couple of times. If it’s raining or it’s cold, discouragement can be a nuisance, ” she assumed.
For the students Ana Uliana and Ana Beatriz, of journalism and publicity, the opportunity to exercises in the open air allows several sensations. Seeing people and breathing fresh air, made Ana Uliana constantly challenge herself. “By gaining physical fitness, the post-workout feeling was satisfying,” related the student. Already Ana Beatriz said that after the races, she feels more focused to solve the numerous problems that life puts on the way. She synthesized her experience as a runner as the ‘’refuge of a stressful routine.’’
Bia Fialho and Marina also stressed the importance of saving electricity, leaving the mats and facing the parks and the street. The effort is much greater, due to elevations, pavement conditions and climatic conditions. But for them, the opportunity to feel the ”wind in the face”, to see the movement and to turn off a little of reality is very worthwhile.
Some difficulties may arise in the middle of the way, however. Besides being dangerous because of traffic, running outdoors is being exposed to constant machismo. Parks in the evening can pose great dangers and discomforts on issues related to harassment, for example. Marina gives a hint of choosing a song that you like and putting it in the last volume, not to listen to comments that might discourage you.
Other tips for not discouraging is to choose a very lively playlist to accompany yourself in the rhythm of the race. Comfortable clothes and sneakers, sunglasses and sunscreen for hot days are a must have for a runner. Hydrate yourself, always! It is necessary to understand that the exercise is very tiring, but in the end, it will be worth it. Enrolling in regional races and marathons are great ways to self-motivate yourself to do your best to achieve your goals and the main thing is not to give up so easily. Finally, there are a number of applications on smartphones, such as Nike+ Running and the RunKeeper, that allow you to monitor physical exercise at various levels, such as time spent, distance traveled and even how many calories have been eliminated, and track progress Weeks. It only depends on you!
‘’If you don’t take the first step, you won’t leave the place.’’
Ana Beatriz Martins