This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kent State chapter.
Name: Brianna Hedley
Class standing: Graduated May ’15
Major: Communication Studies
Twinsburg: Ohio
A college stereotype many students face is the freshman 15; except it’s not just freshmen, it’s everyone. Brianna Hedley decided to utilize her passion to help college students live a healthier, more active life and to, hopefully, keep off those extra pounds.
Her Campus: What peaked your interest in fitness? Where and when did it all begin?
Brianna Hedley: I have been into fitness for as long as I can remember. I grew up pretty active and was always involved in sports: basketball, soccer, track, tae kwon do, you name it! So, I guess my interest in fitness sparked when I was a little kid and grew up in an active family. It was just part of our family culture to get a daily dose of fitness. As time went on, I started to love the way I felt when I worked out and the progress that I was making not only physically, but mentally as well.
HC: What exactly do you strive to achieve with your fitness page and your posts? What’s your mission and some of your goals?
BH: My mission is to pay it forward and help others fall in love with taking care of themselves the way I have. The purpose of my fitness pages are to share my fit tips, tricks and healthy recipes with others in hopes to inspire them to take charge of their own fitness journey. I want others to know that they’re not alone in their struggle and that it’s okay to fall off track, we all do. What’s important is that you pick up right where you left off and consistently recommit. Sometimes that recommitment needs to happen weekly, daily or even hourly. I have dedicated my life post-grad to helping others become the healthiest, happiest and most confident version of themselves.
HC: What does your exercise routine consist of and how often do you do it?
BH: My exercise routine is ever changing! I am always trying new fitness programs to keep it fun and keep my body guessing. I truly believe that exercise should be something you enjoy and look forward to, not something you dread or hate. I workout five to six times a week and always try to throw in one day of yoga for an active recovery. My workouts are usually no longer than 30 minutes a day, which is perfect for a busy bee like me. If there’s something I learned on my fitness journey, it’s that you don’t need to spend hours at the gym, but rather you can get results with 30 minutes a day if your nutrition is on track.
HC: How do you deal with days where you just don’t feel like working out?
BH: There are definitely days where I feel like skipping a workout and napping instead! I think that’s perfectly normal to feel that way. My opinion is that if we waited until we “felt” like doing something, it would never get done. That’s when I drink some of my favorite plant based pre-workout, blast my pump up jams and just get to it. I know I’ll feel 100 times better once I’ve completed my workout and I’ve never regretted a workout, that’s for sure!
HC: What advice do you have for students who want to start living a healthy and fit lifestyle?
BH: I work with many busy college students who want to start leading a healthy lifestyle and my biggest tip for them is to grab a buddy and work together to reach their goals. Leading a healthy lifestyle is so much more fun when you’re working together as a group and have a support system. It also helps when you stay accountable, which is a key factor when it comes to making this a lifestyle change instead of a fad. You want people to call you out when you’re falling off track. Another tip I have is that it doesn’t need to be “all or nothing.” You can work to make healthier choices and still enjoy a few treats here and there. I know I love me some ice cream and I definitely treat myself.
HC: What is the key to keeping a healthy lifestyle longterm, not just temporarily?
BH: I think slow and steady wins the race. Start with small adjustments and small swaps. Swap pop for water, a netflix binge for a walk around campus, candy for fruit. If you jump right into something and try and change all of your habits at once, you might feel like you’re restricting yourself and that takes the fun out. Committing to a healthy lifestyle is a decision by decision thing. It doesn’t magically happen over night. It happens steadily over time through consistency, and that’s why slow and steady wins the race.
Check out Hedley on social media for health tips and fitness videos:
Instagram: brihedley