The holidays are arguably one of the best times of the year. Family, friends, no classes aka sleep, and of course food. Casseroles, sugar cookies, eggnog, mashed potatoes… the list goes on and on. Now the holidays have come to an end and as we ring in a new year the resolutions officially begin. It seems one resolution that tends to be popular especially amongst collegiettes is getting in shape. Hello, can you say spring break and bikini season?!
For those collegiettes who just arrived overseas or are heading there soon, the fear of keeping this resolution might be heavy on your minds. To beat the dreaded “Freshman 15” seems easy compared to withstanding the temptation of homemade Italian pasta or delicious crepes from France. I know this worried me last year as I headed to Barcelona, Spain. I wondered how I could ever indulge and enjoy this amazing five months without coming back two sizes bigger. Trust me when I say: do not worry. With a few easy tips you study abroad collegiettes can stay fit overseas too and have a great time.
Tip #1: Walk… everywhere. Literally, this tip doesn’t even require effort. You will soon realize that in the United States we are simply lazy. Almost everything is within walking distance in the large cities in Europe. Take advantage of your time abroad and make your main method of transportation by foot. Not only will you be staying fit but also exploring your destination. It won’t even feel like “working out” because every block you walk unveils another new site. You could easily rake in 5-mile walks per day without even trying.
Tip #2: Pack lunches and snacks. Take the time to pack a sandwich or some healthy snacks and bring them around in your purse. The days might be long – either you are out all day for classes and don’t have time to run back home or you are site seeing in a new city for the weekend. Not only will you save calories, but also money by packing a lunch. You can still go out and enjoy a delicious dinner, but that doesn’t mean you need to eat out for every meal.
Tip #3: Bring workout DVDs with you abroad. This will save you so much money versus joining a gym. I learned this the hard way and blew way too much on a gym membership. Don’t have any DVDs with you? Not a big deal at all. You can YouTube basically any workout that you are looking for and do it in any open space. My personal favorite was always P90X Abs. Also, if the weather is nice outside you can take advantage and go for a jog. Beating the horrible Michigan weather, site seeing and getting fit? Can you say #winning!
Tip #4: Take advantage of the fresh produce. While this may not apply to all study abroad destinations, many cities abroad really emphasize fresh ingredients. In Barcelona, I frequented “La Boquería” where I could select unlimited amounts of fresh fruit. Almost every city I visited had little markets or stands where they sold the biggest, most delicious produce I have ever eaten in my life. No joke.
Tip #5: Keep those late night eats under control! Study abroad is supposed to be about “studying” and it is… but going out at night, almost every night, can take a toll on your body. Try to stray away from those late night munchies calling your name. Stock up your fridge with healthy snack alternatives so there is nothing there to overly indulge in. Try swapping the late night pizza for a modified version. All you need is a whole wheat English muffin, marinara sauce, part-skim mozzarella, and any toppings that you enjoy. It should still satisfy that need for a greasy, late-night snack but without the guilt it may bring you the next day.
Follow these five tips and you will come back to the United States just as healthy and fit as you were five months ago. These are such easy modifications and will not interfere with your ability to still have fun. Despite the advice, the biggest tip I could give you collegiettes abroad though is to enjoy every minute. This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If that means eating maybe one too many slices of thin crust Italian pizza, so be it! The gym will always be there for you when you get back home. So have fun, go abroad and forever go blue!