As exams are quickly approaching, its time to start planning for a healthy and active midterm season!
Why is exercising important for your health? Depending on how you handle your stress levels, maybe you stress a little more than others! Exercising is a great outlet to release the stress hormones building up in your body as you are studying for your exams dealing with other tasks in life.
How can you plan to have a healthy and active midterm season? Follow these tricks!
Two things to remember this midterm season: You are not alone, and you can do this!
Do. Not. Procrastinate.
- Try not to cram one night before your exam! Start studying up to one to two weeks before your midterm and aim for at least 30 minutes a day. Studying for shorter amounts of time daily and more extended periods will increase the retention of the material when it comes to the exam.
Use your planner! Specifically a planner with 6 AM – 10 PM time slots
- Have you ever tried block scheduling? You can utilize your planner to block out specific times to finish your tasks promptly. This also works efficiently on your phone, tablet or laptop.
Start your day early and go to sleep early
- Sleep is vital to productivity. Make sure you are getting around 8 hours of sleep. This will help your performance in class, the gym, and suppress impulsive, poor eating choices.
Set yourself up for a successful day
- Every night set out a gym outfit, shower bag, outfit for the day, backpack, and lunch to have ready to go to the gym in the morning. It is less stressful!
Meal prep!
- Make your lunch the weekend before the week begins or even the night before. This saves money and creates healthy eating habits. Below are some tips and quick recipes!
- EAT BREAKFAST! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Typically my breakfast is full of carbs and lots of fiber. Carbs, protein, and fiber keep you energized as well as full for hours.
- Oatmeal Recipe:
- 1 cup of oats
- 1 cup of water
- Tablespoon of peanut butter
- 1 scoop of protein powder
- Oatmeal Recipe:
Pour the oats and water in a microwaveable bowl and heat on high for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Mix in protein powder and PB.
- Lunch: Prioritize veggies and protein! Meal prep rice and protein in bulk so it is easier to put together. And use fresh vegetables!
- RECIPE: Chicken breast, rice, and broccoli, or any veggies! Aim for at least 100 grams.
- Dinner: Eat everything! Carbs, proteins, and fats!
- Tacos: Ground turkey, bell peppers, avocado, black beans in a low carb Mission Tortilla or easily make it a taco salad bowl with rice and a bed of lettuce!
Have your workouts ready to go!
- It sometimes is discouraging not to have a workout ready to go so you can get in the gym and get out.
- Your workouts don’t need to be intense or special. Keep them simple and timely. @racheljdillon always has workouts ready to go!
Go on walks
- Walking is extremely beneficial to your health. Go on a walk that is free of distractions (your phone). This can even be walking around campus or to the botanical garden on campus. Its a great form of meditation.
Last thing,
Prioritize YOU. Do not beat yourself up, and work hard.
Come back soon for a full week of workouts :) Good luck and happy studying!