Isn’t it great to study in a college and enjoy the newfound independence? But unfortunately, while being independent is fun, there is a cost attached to it.
The whirlwind of class attendance, assignments, tests, and projects can get overwhelming, especially in the first year. And to top it all off, you must catch up on your fitness.
It’s understandable, but your fitness is not something you want to compromise on if you want to stay on top.
So, whether you’re a bookworm, a sports sensation, or somewhere in between, we have some fantastic tips in this article that will keep you fit to enjoy your college life thoroughly!
Let’s get started.
Tips to Stay Fit in College
I understand you have a lot going on in your college, and the classes and study pressure keep you up at night. That is why I have some straightforward tips you can incorporate into your routine without going out of your way or making too much effort.
The benefits will be significant even if you can implement just a few of the following suggestions.
- Establish A Routine
One of the best things you can do in college is to set a routine for yourself. Routine is a secret weapon that can help you smoothly sail through your college years.
Now, there is no need to be overwhelmed with the idea of routine. You need to realize that you already have a routine where you wake up, have breakfast, attend classes, hang out with friends, etc., and sleep at a specific time.
To make this routine healthier for you, all you have to do is write down your class schedules, write up all the activities you need to do every day and identify time slots where you are free. Now simply add some activities like swimming, walking or running to it.
- Eat Smart
I understand that having fresh food options in your college cafeteria may be limited. Despite the availability of nutritious food, many students still need to meet their daily vegetable and fruit intake.
To the untrained eye, fruits and vegetables may not look as appetizing as a slice of pizza, but your body will be very appreciative if you pass up the pizza in favor of a healthy meal.
(Occasional pizza and dessert are OK; moderation is the key!)
Eating breakfast daily is essential because it can help you avoid making poor food choices later on. You could also stock your dorm room with healthy snacks like granola bars, almonds, and other items.
Take some nutritious snacks to class and eat one every three to four hours. Doing this can keep you from gaining weight and lower your cholesterol levels.
While setting up a routine is pretty straightforward, sticking to it will take some effort. Your body will take a good week or two to adjust to this new routine, but this will be the best thing you can do for yourself.
Before you know it, this routine will be as simple and easy as brushing your teeth and eating food daily.
- Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough rest can be challenging in college, especially when there is a lot of studying and a heavy course load. However, when you’re exhausted, you are less likely to exercise and more likely to reach for sugary or salty snacks.
In addition, you will prevent your body from producing leptin, the hormone that tells you when you have had enough food and should stop eating. Moreover, your body will produce too much of the ghrelin hormone, which signals your body to begin (or continue) eating.
Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night to restore hormonal balance and revitalize yourself. Avoid napping or sleeping in too frequently, and stay away from screens or caffeine in the hours before bed.
If you get enough sleep, you can choose healthier foods and engage in more physical activity.
- Keep Yourself Hydrated Throughout the Day
Dehydration makes it easy to fall asleep in class and should be avoided at all costs. Thus, it is highly recommended that you always have a water bottle on hand to prevent dehydration and headaches while moving around campus.
Coffee in the morning is fine, but if you want to start the day hydrated, try a tall glass of water instead.
You shouldn’t just sip water intermittently throughout the day but also between each time you have an alcoholic beverage. This will help you reduce the negative effects of alcohol on your body and the so-called “social calories” that come with it.
- Walk Your Way to Class
Walking is one of the most underrated forms of cardio. Walking 8000 to 10000 steps daily can help burn calories, tone the muscles, and reduce stress. Walking to classes is the best way to increase your step count while being a student.
It will help you stay fit, increase your metabolism, and provide energy to think better and feel more active from the beginning of the class.
A fantastic method for keeping track of the number of steps you take daily is to use a pedometer that fastens to your waistband and is very straightforward. Ten thousand steps per day is a healthy goal to strive for and achieve.
- Join Sport Societies
College societies, specifically societies focused on sports, provide an excellent opportunity to combine physical activity with social interaction.
The more connections you make with other members, the more motivated you will become to attend the meetings consistently. You could also become a neighborhood CrossFit Box member and work with other students who share your enthusiasm for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Utilize Campus Facilities
There is no excuse for you not to make the most of the swimming pool, tennis courts, gym, and running track that your college provides. If you are an on-campus resident, you can walk to them quickly, and you can even turn the trip into a jog or a run if you want to get some extra exercise.
The time you spend in the pool or on the track might be “class,” giving it a more formal status in your timetable. Find a workout regimen online that has you doing several reps and exercises daily for several weeks. Doing so will stop you from avoiding work or making up reasons not to complete tasks.
How to Stick to a Routine
While learning new ways to stay fit in college is easy, implementing these tips into daily life is the real problem. So here are a few things you can do to make it a routine:
Try to achieve a few minor achievements first – The key is to reach each large goal by accomplishing several smaller ones. Although taking on a massive project is exciting, this tendency to take on too much usually fails. If eating healthier is your overarching goal, baby steps will get you where you need to go. Once you’ve done that, pat yourself on the back.
Set priorities for your daily activities – What would you prefer, more exercise or screen time? Identifying your top priorities before getting started is crucial. You can merge two things: listening to music while running, watching your favorite season while training on the treadmill, etc.
Stay consistent over time – You should go for a walk at roughly the same time every day if you want to make it a habit. To reap the day’s benefits from your efforts, get them done first thing in the morning before you lose steam. Successfully making it to the gym on the way to or from work is much more plausible. Once inside, most people won’t want to venture out into the cold.
Plan – Make sure you have everything you need to begin your new routine without delay by laying the groundwork ahead.
Just Have Fun With It! – It’s only sometimes fun to start a new routine or set new goals, but there are ways to make it more enjoyable. To make your new routine more enjoyable, do whatever you can to make it more fun. This could mean finding a workout partner, getting a good playlist for cleaning, or trying out some new cooking classes.
Reward Yourself – Once you have established a routine, it’s time to treat yourself. If you want to train yourself to tidy up the house every night before going to sleep, you might buy yourself a new pair of slippers while doing it.
Take Away
It may take some time to determine what works best for you. With all the social and academic pressures of college, your journey may have ups and downs.
It is not the end of the world if you skip a day at the gym or indulge in a cheat meal once in a while; however, you should avoid making these behaviors a regular part of your routine.
Maintaining your physical fitness doesn’t have to feel like another task you have to complete; instead, you should consider it a necessary component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
You’ll maintain a higher health and fitness level if you keep up the effort than you would if you stopped. It doesn’t matter how hard you work to feel and stay healthy as long as you try. Try to maintain a regular schedule and put the advice into practice.
