Hey Mads!
I’ve been an active person my whole life, playing all the sports through middle and high school, but as you know, college is a whole different game. Without a coach expecting you at practice or a competition season to prepare for paired with the multitude of time commitments and stresses that come along with being a college student, it often feels that there is no time to make working out a priority. First, I’ll go through my current routine, and then talk about what has and hasn’t worked for me along the way and how to find something that works for you!
my current routine:
Let’s pretend its 5:40 on a weekday, do you hear that? Yeah, that’s my alarm.
But wait until you hear this, I am pumped about it. That first moment of the morning where it’s still hella dark and the world is quiet I feel like I can take my time, there is no class to rush out the door to or fear that I overslept. By the time I get out of bed, at least one of my three roommates is already awake. By 5:50 (okay, really 5:52) My roommate and I head to the gym in the dark (don’t worry mom we drive). We pull up, probably at the same exact spot in the parking lot, then walk through the doors at 6:02- masks on and water bottles in hand.
I have yet to dread a morning in this routine, there is just so much comfort in starting my day in such a structured, yet slow way. I have yet to listen to music on one of these early morning workouts, I find so much benefit in being able to hear my thoughts, let my body wake up, and be conscious of how I am feeling both physically and mentally.
My roommate Kalli is my biggest fitness inspiration, encouragement, and mentor. She not only makes working out feel doable, but she also makes it fun and honestly one of the best parts of my day. Every morning as I am first opening my eyes, I hear her moving around the apartment, already up and going and that pulls me out of bed on my more sleepy days. When I am whining about my hamstrings or having miscounted for the third time, she responds with gentle positivity reminding me that everything will be okay and I’m doing great. As a mentor, I see how she creates our workouts every single day, is able to adjust to our needs on the fly creating modifications (when I am too sore to do more squats) or we are just needing something a little different.
Now on to some tips!
1. Find a buddy !! Not just your friend who also wants to get in shape, but someone who you know will push you to do those three more reps because they will be good for you and because you are strong enough rather than saying “it doesn’t really matter.” Accountability has been crucial for me, on the days when I just want to stay in bed, blame the weather and not go, or to slack off during the workout, accountability holds me to a higher standard. Even when I work out alone, I have built the habits of working hard and have Kalli’s voice in the back of my head reminding me I am strong and I actually can do just one more.
2. Figure out why you want this. Why is 30-60 minutes of sweating and discomfort something you want in your day? What makes it worth it? For me, I find that I am so much more comfortable in my skin when I am active. Everyone’s body is different and you are beautiful however it is that you were made and I think that finding strength in your shape is such a powerful thing. It feels good to be strong, it is rewarding as heck to start to see muscle tone or to move up in weights. I want to be clear that aesthetics is not a bad goal, but it is best if it is not the only goal. Since mindset is pretty much everything, some examples could be mental health maintenance, practicing discipline, creating structure/balance to your schedule, channel energy or emotions, spending time with a friend, etc. there are so many reasons that can become your “why.”
3. Find something you actually enjoy doing! I’m not saying find the easiest or quickest thing. Think about what interests or experiences you have with various kinds of exercise? What would you like to master? What haven't you tried but always thought it looked awesome? Is there a race you want to train for? Curiosity is such a fun way to approach working out. When you feel like you are gaining knowledge of something it can help keep you motivated. It's okay if it doesn’t (physically) feel great at first, but remember that your body is wired to learn. Shake things up if it starts to get stale, or try a new form of exercise every once and a while to explore your options or maybe remind you why you do what you do. Options include running (my personal favorite- I miss you running), weight training, cycling (road or stationary), Zumba, barre, HIIT, yoga (another fav, this pairs well with everything), playing recreational games such as basketball, volleyball, pickleball, etc. or keep it simple and walk! There are a million other options, the opportunities are endless, so as we say here at ISU, Choose your adventure!!
-hp
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