If you are anything like me, you think college is fantastic: the friends, the freedom, the Friday nights and, of course, the food.
Never before have I been able to have a friend grab me some ice cream at the dining hall at 10:30 on a Tuesday night for no reason whatsoever. Never before has every social outing been defined as: “Let’s meet up at (insert restaurant here).” And never before have I had the ability to order Chinese food and Midnight Cookies with my roommate all in one night.
Fortunately, college also offers an infinite number of ways to stay in shape. From intramurals to new and inspiring gyms, to every club you have ever imagined; fitness is definitely a trend in college town.
So my goal for this blog is to not only provide you girls with tips and tricks on how to stay fit and happy with style and finesse, but also motivate myself to take advantage of both the foodie and the fitness opportunities around town.
Because I am a person who admittedly needs to step up her fitness, and a person who loves the feeling of checking things off of lists, the following are my personal fitness goals for the next few months. Feel free to adopt them or make your own!
1. Drink more water.
Adults are supposed to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day; that’s 64 ounces for those of us who are mathematically challenged. Water regulates our temperature, carries nutrients throughout our bodies and even excretes toxins from our system. Now I know we all carry around our water bottles and sip on them during class, but they only have about 16 ounces each, so I am aiming to drain and refill my water bottle at least four times a day.
2. Eat more organic and vegan foods.
As it turns out, I like eating stylishly just as much as I like dressing stylishly, and the latest food fad is vegan and organic. Whether it means replacing that hamburger with a black-bean patty and a whole-grain bun or trying out some quinoa or some tempeh — although, I first need to figure out what those are — the organic diet is definitely something I want to work into my everyday meals. Organic foods are not only trendy but they have also been proven to taste better and contain more vitamins than their commercial counterparts.
3. Have non-processed days at least once or twice a week.
I’m not saying I’m going to completely change my diet, but having “non-processed days” of only eating fruits, vegetables, and grains – basically anything that does not come in cardboard or plastic – will reboot my immune system and simultaneously force me to eat super healthy. This might require some intense Googling of recipes, but I will definitely be sharing my findings with all of you!
4. Some sort of physical workout everyday.
No, walking to class does not count. Not even if you are power walking. If you made it to your class across campus in a solid seven minutes, that doesn’t count either. I know I have a busy schedule, and it is only getting busier, but I want to work in something like a yoga class, a short run or an hour of tennis practice every day. I manage to find time to eat every day, so why not exercise as well?
5. Get more sleep.
That’s funny. A college student trying to get more sleep – never going to happen right? Wrong. As you sleep, your body releases hormones that control hunger and appetite. Although some increase hunger, some decrease it. But the less sleep you get, the more out-of-sync these hormones become, and the hungrier you are. Plus, the energy your body is missing from lack of sleep is forced to be made from something else, and food is inevitably what you turn to. Let’s be realistic; I’m not going to promise to get eight hours of sleep or anything, but I do want to put sleep a little higher on my list of priorities.
6. Start training for a half-marathon.
Many say you can do it in four months, but I tend to question their wisdom. If it is possible, I want to find out! Thirteen-point-one miles may sound like a lot right now, but I want to be able to run a complete half-marathon for charity — that’s right, non-stop!
7. Reward myself.
The fact remains that I still really like chocolate, cookies, ice cream and even the occasional fried food. How can I write about health and fitness after that sort of revelation, you ask? My goal is to be in good enough condition both physically and mentally to still allow myself to enjoy the foods I love on a limited, guilt-free basis. Even health-conscious girls deserve a rich, delicious brownie every once in a while.
Keep checking back to see how my fitness journey progresses!