Enough with the Excuses

I was on my way to the gym today and all I could think about was how much I didn’t want to go. Real encouraging, right? My head filled with excuses:

1. “I’m tired” When I’m going on 5-6 hours of sleep, a nap is way more appealing than working out.

2. “I’m too sore” I pushed myself so hard yesterday when I went to the gym. And I was really     feeling it this morning.

3. “I’m too busy” I had a long list of stuff to do today and it’s Election Day so there was waiting in a long line to vote. That half an hour could have been used to get some of that done..

But I powered thru and went to the gym because I knew I would regret not going way more than going.

So for all of you insanely busy college students, here’s some tips for making time to be intentionally active. 

Go after class

That makes sense for me because the gym I go to is right on campus and much closer to my classes than my room. It prevents me from making the excuse later that I do not want to go all the way to the gym because I am already mostly there. I really think it is a good idea to bring your gym clothes with you to class and go right from there. That way you are taking a nice break between classes and homework.

Go at a time of day that is right for you

If for some reason right after classes does not work for you, then find a time of day that is right and commit to it. Many studies show that it is more effective to exercise in the morning and not okay to work out within four hours of going to sleep. So, go at a time of day when you will be the most motivated to go and stick to it.

Social Media

So I know by now you’re probably thinking that you simply don’t have time during the day to go between sleep, classes, homework, studying, work, group meetings, meals, and having a social life. Trust me, I’m well aware. But stop and think for a minute. How long are you on social media during the afternoon? Be honest with yourself. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc…Some college students are on any combination of social media for multiple hours a day. I’m not saying that’s wrong, but what if you took half an hour of that time to be active? Social media will still be there when you get done, but limiting how much time spent on them will really open up a block of time to be more active.

Feels more energized and more focused

Consciously making the time to be more active can also help improve your grades. Getting exercise helps you feel more energized and helps you focus more. So that little bit of time lost on going to the gym or running around campus will be made up for in productivity. Think of it as an investment in your grades.

Go for short, but intense periods

With a limited schedule, it makes sense to go for shorter periods of time. But make sure they are intense. I’m a strong believer in interval training. I feel like I have just about died afterwards and it is usually only 25-40 minutes. Also, it is more effective to do a short intense workout than a long workout at a moderate pace. Challenge yourself, but keep it within your time constraints.

Reasonable number of days per week
Do as many days as you can during the week. Starting out, just commit to every other day or something like that. I began doing three days a week until I managed my schedule to open up for more days. Everyone is different though, maybe for now you can do one day during the week and one day on the weekend, that’s completely fine. Again, be honest with yourself and don’t make excuses for how many days you can do.

Accountability

Try to find some friends to workout with you and hold you accountable. That has been when I am the most consistent. A majority of my workouts during the week are with my friends. It’s just good to have someone to go with and someone who is counting on you to be there. You are so much more likely to go if that’s the case.

Hope these little tips helped! It is definitely a lot easier said than done but it is also so incredibly worth it to commit to being more active and making room in a crazy college schedule. Also, remember that working out is only half the battle to a balanced life, eating right is also key.