By Savannah Grace Mathews
We’re all busy. It’s extremely easy to make excuses for why we are not able to fit time into our days to exercise. In fact, less than 25% of adults meet the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. This may be because the direct benefits of exercise are hard to see. After one workout your muscles haven’t tripled in size, you don’t automatically look like that Instagram model, and you might even feel more tired then when you started. However, over time you will start to realize working out means you’re less prone to disease, you have stronger bones and muscles, daily physical tasks are easier, and you have a lower risk of falling as you age.
Benefits of Exercising
Becoming less stressed, less tired, and more motivated are all things that can come from a healthy dose of exercise. According to the CDC, “Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.” These are the long-term benefits of staying active, and these would positively impact most college students. Even a walk around the block or a 30-minute workout on YouTube constitutes physical activity. For more driven college students, reduced levels of stress and anxiety, as well as sharper judgment serve as a valuable asset to busy lives. Being able to learn and use our brains more effectively is what will give exercising students an advantage.
Starting Small
While we all have busy schedules and many things to do, being strong-willed enough to get out the door on a jog or walk or queuing up a YouTube workout, instead of scrolling through TikTok, can clear our minds and reduce our stress levels. Making physical activity a priority and creating healthy habits helps us become more well-rounded college students and sets us up for success in the future. Some of my favorite YouTube workouts are: Alexis Ren’s 10-minute ab workout, Move With Nicole’s pilates videos, or any of MadFit’s dancing workouts. Pick workouts that you enjoy doing so that you can look forward to them and complete them consistently. Start with small workout routines and slowly increase your workout time, and in no time working out will feel like a breeze!
Choosing the Healthy Option
In addition to working out, we should make healthy choices when we have the option to, and our bodies will thank us. There are a plethora of options in college when it comes to food, so it can be overwhelming, but there are only a few things to remember. Our bodies need fuel to survive, meaning eating three meals a day plus snacks is the way to go. We also should not stress overeating or maintaining a completely clean diet. Don’t forget to also treat yourself once in a while, you deserve it! Making healthy choices overall, with a few treats sprinkled in, gives our bodies the fuel they need and our brains the satisfaction of our cravings.
Conclusion
Having a workout routine that you enjoy and can complete consistently benefits our minds, our bodies, and our long-term health, making it extremely beneficial for college students. We can all reap the benefits of exercising and eating healthy, so why not give it a try? You might just love it!
Happy Valley Comm 