Last week was Thanksgiving. In all likelihood (unless you have rock-solid willpower), you splurged just a bit on calories. Sure, it takes more than a day or two of overeating to pack on the pounds, but regardless you may not be feeling the greatest about yourself right now. My go-to strategy for feeling dissatisfied with my body is to exercise. But I’m not talking about a grueling, mind-numbing workout. I just can’t get into hours on a treadmill or lifting weights in the gym. Instead, I like to find fun or efficient ways to get my workout in. Here are some ideas to get you inspired to work off that Thanksgiving meal:
Stairs
Yeah, I know you’ve heard this one before. Do you actually do it? Or do you head straight for the elevator when you walk inside the library? I’m guilty of this too – I even take the elevator at Hoover sometimes (hey, it’s there; may as well use it). But once you’ve taken the stairs in the library all the way to the 4th floor, you’ll feel the burn. Great cardio exercise that takes very little effort to work into your day.
Walk and Talk
Ask a friend to take a stroll around campus and talk. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with someone while sneaking in some exercise at the same time. My roommate and I like to go on walks and she’ll track our steps with her fitness watch. One of my favorite routes is the trail around Lake Placida. It’s a peaceful setting and it pushes you out to the far edge of campus.
Shopping Trip
Ok so maybe this isn’t the best thing to do in the dead of winter, but earlier on in the semester I would walk to Giant and buy groceries. Now I’m not recommending you buy a full week’s worth of groceries because that’s way too much to carry. I usually pick up a few essential items, and I often combine it with a trip to Kmart to buy shoes, or a haircut at Holiday Hair. Having a few bags to carry back with you gives your arms a bit of a workout too. Alternatively, you can also walk downtown E-town and explore the shops. Have a coffee and study session at Folklore, listen to live music at Funk Brewing, or discover hidden treasures at Knock Knock Boutique. You’ll be so satisfied with the experience that you will hardly notice the walk back.
Try a Fitness Class
You’ve seen all the posters around the BSC; now actually check out one of those fitness classes! I’ve personally tried Zumba, Pound, and Kickboxing. Zumba is basically dancing, so it’s a lot of fun. Pound is like a combination between a cardio class and a drum lesson. Beware of blisters from the drum sticks – and soreness all over the next day. Kickboxing is by far my favorite. There’s something so empowering about learning this quintessential self-defense sport. The one thing these classes all have in common is that they give you an intense workout, but you hardly notice the intensity. All you can focus on is the novelty of the activity and the group of people taking the class with you. There’s something to be said for positive peer pressure. You’ll work harder when you see everyone around you putting in the effort.
Make sure to sign up for an IMLeagues account before you go! The E-fit section of the site will tell you types of classes and when they’re offered.
Laundry
This is kind of a silly one on the surface. But if you think about it, lugging all those clothes up and down the stairs (if you’re unfortunate enough to live on the second or third floor) is great exercise. Then you have to squat down to get your clothes out of the washer and transfer them to the dryer. If you want to fit in more exercise and make sure you always have clean clothes, designate a laundry day every week – maybe even break it up into 2 days to get even more opportunities to exercise.
These are just a few ideas to help you get more exercise in. If treadmills and the gym are more your style, then that’s fine too. Just do whatever motivates you to get moving. Exercise is an excellent pre-finals stress buster, and a way to make you feel great any time of year.