The first couple weeks of the semester are in the books, and routines are beginning to settle into place. Creating good healthy habits, setting priorities and figuring out how it all fits together is a balancing act that is not always easy to manage, but if I can offer one piece of advice, make sure there’s time left in the day to go get sweaty.
While life is busy, a workout should rank up there someplace between taking a shower and brushing your teeth — taking care of yourself should never be sacrificed for finishing a to-do list. Physical activity will help to reduce stress, improve your mood, improve sleep quality, manage weight, prevent (or manage) diseases, improve self-esteem, strengthen the immune system and boost energy. You might say that it’s good for whatever ails you. With the workload, energy demands and schedule of the average college student, exercise is just too valuable to skip.
Finding time is the hard part, but finding something to do on this campus is easy. Mountain bike Mondays, Gravity class at lunch time, using the treadmill while watching your favorite TV show, intramurals in the evening, spinning, yoga, Zumba, club sports, hiking, running, swimming, lifting, climbing, rafting, and the list goes on. Between the University of Idaho Swim Center, the great outdoors, and the Student Recreation Center with their slogan “Find What Moves You,” there are endless options for any fitness level. Whether you enjoy organized sports, fitness classes, outdoor recreation, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, or a little bit of everything, there’s literally something here for everyone.
Aside from the opportunities to be active at UI, fitness is celebrated nationally in September as it is “America on the Move” month, and a reminder for everyone to make physical activity a staple in their daily or at least weekly plans. If you’re looking for some guidelines, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that everyone get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, but the activity that you spend those two and a half hours on each week is completely up to you.
To keep your mojo and motivation pumping, find a workout buddy, schedule your exercise time, find activities that you enjoy and mix it up. Have fun, be creative, and remember to get sweaty.