Give Up or Get Up
Photo by Larisa Birta on Unsplash
A couple months into 2019 and like many, the whole “new year, new me” thing might have fallen short. Maybe you drank a little more than you should have, ate out a little too much, or maybe the whole early start for that summer diet did not go as planned. The good news is, it only takes two months to start a good habit. So why not make March the start of a great one? One of the best things for you is getting up just a little bit earlier and heading out for a good work out.
Getting up early can be hard, even more so when you’re up all night cramming for a test or writing that midterm paper. Remember, working out in the morning does not have to be an everyday thing. Jessica Firetto, a fourth-year Criminology student, said “I think working out in the morning or night can be beneficial. Perks of morning workouts is that you tend to feel more awake, while night workouts can help you relax and sleep better. Often times I find that you are more motivated in the morning.”
To keep herself motivated and so that she does not get bored like the rest of us, after a week of working out, Jessica splits her workouts between full body days and cardio days. When reacting to the overall change to her body, she comments “I am more toned, I have a smaller waist and I am so much stronger than before I started my program. My mind is so much clearer and I’m so much happier after. I struggled with my mental health in the past, and this is one thing that keeps me going and helps me to focus on my studies.”
Along with the general health benefits and improved mental clarity, it is great that workouts generally can take as little as 20 minutes to give you great motivation and strength for the rest of your day! Students in Orillia have access to the YMCA of Simcoe County, where they have great classes, a pool and lots of workout gear. For the Thunder Bay crowd, they have access to a fully loaded gym, with great hours, a pool and tons of space to move! If the gym is not your style and you are not sure how to start off, grab a yoga mat and some YouTube workout videos and you are off to the races! At home, barre workouts and some full-body movements are quick and easy as they do not require any equipment.
The routine will get easier as the time passes. Get up on your first alarm, have a bag packed the night before and make sure you stretch. Try not to think about the cold and instead, just think how good it will feel to invest a little more time into yourself!