It’s now mid-February and we’re in the heart of winter. Temperatures are below freezing, too, making it difficult for any sort of outside activity … even for something as simple as just walking to class. Confined to our houses and dorm rooms for warmth makes it hard to have the motivation to get things done. It seems to be easier to sit on the couch or lie in your bed watching Netflix with your favorite snack, as opposed to being active and trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle. For those people who just can’t seem to find the motivation to get fit in this dreary weather, here are some tips that should help you spruce up your daily activity and your wellness:
1. If you have a gym nearby, utilize it.
- On campus people can utilize the Glimmerglass and Cooper Fitness Centers for only $50 for an entire semester, $90 for a whole academic year. The fitness centers have many classes that you can take including Yoga, Zumba, Arms and Abs and Beach Body. There are also weight rooms, cardio machines and personal trainers on staff! http://www.oswego.edu/student/residential/fitness_center.html
- Off campus there are a few gyms nearby but Planet Fitness seems to be the most popular gym for college student due to its cheap fee of only $10 a month. Even if it’s just 30 minutes out of your day, take that time to do some cardio to get your blood pumping. You can never go wrong with a nice good sweat to get all of the toxins out of your body.
2. If you don’t have access to the gym due to the weather or some other reason, there are a lot of fitness apps that you can download on your phone. There are also websites online that can provide you with some quick and simple workouts to get you up on your feet and moving:
- Nike Training is a very popular fitness app that has pre-made workouts that are between 15 to 45 minutes long. You can select specific workouts pertaining to what part of your body you want to exercise.
- www.workoutbox.com/workouts is a free website with a large variety of workouts you can do, including a whole section for workouts you can do at home.
It is very important that you do some type of daily exercise whether it be walking; running; a combination of abs, squats, lunges, planks, jumping jacks; or even jumping rope. All of these exercises provide benefits your physical and overall health.
3. Whether we like it or not, vegetables are extremely important in our daily diet. Try to add some more color to your plate at lunch and dinnertime. Vegetables are low in calories and fats but contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals.
4. Take vitamins. Taking a multivitamin supplement on a daily basis is a great way to make sure your body is getting all of the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function actively and happily. You can also opt to take single vitamins such as B-12 to help boost your metabolism; vitamin D3 for immune system and bone support; and Vitamin C to boost your immune system in order to fight off colds and bacteria that you may come in contact with.
5. Substitute your daily coffee loaded with sweetener and creamer with some green tea. You’ll save hundreds of calories and still get the caffeine boost you crave to get you through the day!
6. Hydration is key. Make sure you’re drinking between six and eight glasses of water per day in order to stay hydrated. It will keep your body from feeling tired, sluggish and fatigued. When you’re properly hydrated, you will also stabilize your metabolism which will help keep away the unhealthy mid-day and night time snacking.
7. Give yourself a reward for completing a healthy goal. Incentives are proven to make people want to complete tasks thoroughly and efficiently. Set a goal and promise yourself something that you really want if you complete it (preferably something healthy or materialistic aka not ice cream and chocolate). When you reach your goal, go ahead and reward yourself. The benefits of all your effort to maintain a healthier lifestyle will outweigh the costs and you will feel so much better inside and out.
I know it may not feel like it now, but summer is coming fast! It’s not that you have to say goodbye to Netflix and lounging around with your friends, but make time for yourself and consciously think about the choices you make in your life.