TGIF collegiettes! After a stressful week, I am so glad that it’s finally the weekend! I’ve been pretty swamped with work the past few days, mostly because of an Economics exam. With a busy schedule, it’s easy to forget about SLEEP. I think we all know from experience how hard it is to balance the endless to-do list that we like to call life. 24 hours in a day just doesn’t seem to cut it!
Like many college students, I am guilty of sleep deprivation. Staying up til the wee hours of the night seems to have become a regular occurence due to cram sessions as well as gab sessions. Since lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain, I have decided to make an extra effort to get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night. I hope and expect to wake up each morning feeling rejuvenated and ready to make healthy choices. Gotta start the day off right!
Yesterday, I began my morning on a great note with a filling 440 calorie breakfast. I grabbed two plain rice cakes, spread on some of a local farm’s Tripleberry Jam followed by Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter, and then topped it with banana slices. So easy and yummy! Getting a good night’s sleep ensures that I’ll have enough time and energy to create hearty breakfasts like this one!
I find that being well-rested also makes a positive impact on my workouts. Not getting enough sleep leaves me not only exhausted and low on energy (you know the feeling), but exercising is probably the last thing on my mind after nap, nap, and nap. I was able to snooze for a solid nine hours last night, so I am ready for my first HIIT session today. I’m both very excited and nervous– it just looks so intense!
I tried SELF’s strength workout yesterday for the first time. My favorite move is probably the “Split ‘n’ reach”, while the most difficult move for me was the “Oh hey!”. In addition to the strength workout, I went for a relaxing run with my friend Liz. We ran for two miles on some roads off campus and then stopped by the gym to bike for 30 min as a cool down. It felt so nice and refreshing to be outside! The spring weather is definitely a great motivator to be active outdoors. In a few hours, I’ll be heading over to the local high school where I am the assistant coach for the girls’ varsity tennis team. What are some of your favorite outdoor activities? I’m always down to try new things!
Hope you all have a great weekend! Don’t forget to catch some zzz’s!
Nicole
P.S.
I rceived a great surprise in the mail from New Balance, one of the awesome partners for this program. Check out my new workout gear!
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