6 Ways To Stay Active in College

College life can be extremely busy between classes, work, co-op, friends, and family. Although you may be very busy, you should still find time to include exercise into your daily routine. While you are in college you tend to spend a great deal of time sitting - during class, studying, and researching and typing papers. Whenever possible, you should get up and move! Take a study break and take a 10-15 minute brisk walk. This is also a better idea than reaching for a high calorie snack.

During the winter months, it can be especially difficult to stay motivated to continue to exercise. If you are looking for ways to stay active on-campus, be sure to check out the Northeastern University Campus Recreation website. This website includes information on group fitness classes, intramural leagues, and club sports. There are many barriers as to why people are not physically active. Below are some suggestions from the Mayo Clinic as to how to avoid continuing to let these barriers get in your way of regular exercise!

BARRIER #1: NO TIME TO EXERCISE
It is not always easy, but it is important to set aside time to exercise most days during the week in order to gain the benefits of exercise. Including exercise into your day just might mean changing your daily routine.

• Fit in a short brisk walk during the day. Even if you don't have time for a full workout try to fit shorter spurts of exercise. Even ten minutes of walking spaced throughout the day can offer benefits. Many of you walk across campus throughout the day – just pick up the pace to get your heart rate up!
• Get up a little earlier. While this may sound a bit unreasonable, if your days are packed and the evening hours are just as hectic, try getting up even thirty minutes earlier a few days each week to exercise. Once you've adjusted to early morning workouts, add another day or two to the routine.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Every little bit of movement counts!

BARRIER #2: EXERCISE IS BORING
It is common to become bored with repetitive workouts day after day, especially when you workout alone but exercise doesn’t have to be boring.

• Choose activities you enjoy. You'll be more likely to stay interested if you like what you are doing. Try joining a club or intramural sport on campus!
• Change up your routine. Choose several different activities, such as Pilates, yoga, walking, swimming, jogging, and cycling, over the course of a month to keep some variety while using different muscle groups.
• Exercise with friends. You might enjoy the company while working out as well as the encouragement of others.

Why should you exercise? Being physically active is as important as watching what you eat when it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance. Plus, getting regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Even a small amount of exercise is better than not exercising at all!