The long-awaited spring quarter is finally upon us. It’s time to get out of those depressing winter quarter blues and start loving exercise again.
Sports are extremely good for you, but not only physically. If you are looking to begin a sport, consider doing something that makes you feel joyful rather than forcing yourself into something that everyone else seems to love. For example, you may feel like because everyone is going to the gym, you should too, but if it’s a team sport that makes you happy, like basketball, soccer or volleyball, embrace it.
The hardest part with committing to a sport is just that: committing. As a wise Marsha Doble once said, “I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing.” Essentially, exercising can be hard, but once it becomes a habit, it sticks with you.
The biggest demotivator is when you are unable to see any change after several months of exercising. Here are a few tips and tricks to see results faster. The first thing anyone should do when planning to exercise, especially for lifting or cardio, is check their body mass index (BMI).
This tool is not always reliable as it doesn’t really account for the mass of your muscles, so it’s best used as a rough guideline. This will help you figure out your goal while exercising, whether you want to maintain, lose or gain weight. This will create a framework for your workouts, focusing on areas like muscle gain, muscle toning or weight loss.
Another thing is healing your relationship with food. Yes, you need to eat even to lose weight, especially if you plan on exercising. Feeding your muscles is important and if you would like to know just how much to eat and what you should be eating, you can use a total daily energy expenditure calculator. It will give you your BMI, the amount of calories to eat if you would like to gain weight, lose weight or stay the same and the amount of protein for the same criteria. Eating well is not just about calories; it’s also about the nutrients and balance of the foods you put in your body. Either way, you need to eat – your body needs food. And of course, a sweet treat is encouraged to keep your energy up.
When creating a workout plan for your week, make sure to add variety. You don’t want to just be lifting weights or to just be running on a treadmill. Try to explore other things that are available to you, especially at the Student Recreation Center (SRC).
The SRC offers classes like salsa dancing, yoga, pilates and even martial arts. There is also an area where you can try boxing, and the outdoor pool is perfect for summer days when you just want to exercise in cool water. If you prefer lifting weights, try to add a day in your week where you change it up. Try running, cycling or even Zumba. This will not only break the monotony of routine, but it will also train your body in a different way, which is good for your mental wellbeing as well.
Whether you are working out at the gym, playing sports, dancing or doing any other form of exercise, another important step is stretching. Your muscles go through a high amount of strain whenever you use them intensely, which is why they are sore the next day. Stretching 10 to 15 minutes every night before bed will not only help with soreness, but it will also help reduce any risk of injuries, and you’ll sleep better. Believe me.
If you find that you struggle with falling asleep, think about any habits you may have before bed. I know you’re doomscrolling — don’t lie. Everyone is somewhat guilty of this, and yes, allowing yourself a moment on TikTok or Instagram is okay, but if you are struggling with sleep, consider reading a chapter of a book before bed. Doom-scroll, then read. This will calm your brain down and relax your body; you may even fall asleep reading. By adding this in your daily routine, you may find that your brain associates reading with sleeping, so as you read, your body will prepare itself for sleep.
Hopefully, these tips will help you feel more rejuvenated in spring quarter.
