By Katie Coseo and Rachel Strehlow
Published on October 20, 2007
Still using the excuse that you’re too busy to work out? Too tired to exercise after working or studying? Don’t give up getting fit yet. Here are some easy ways to integrate exercise into your life, even if you have a really busy schedule.
If you’re always too tired to exercise, maybe part of the reason is because you don’t exercise.
“Students don’t realize it but if they remain healthy and fit, it will also contribute to their emotional well-being and actually give them more energy,” said Butch Branch, fitness coordinator at the PJC Milton campus.
According to a CNN story, seven out of 10 Americans do not exercise on a regular basis. Exercising relieves stress, puts you in a happier mood, causes you to sleep better, fights off chronic illness, and is good for your lungs and heart.
Most Americans take shortcuts to save themselves work, like driving around the parking lot for 10 minutes to find the best parking spot or riding the elevator.
“Students could park in a central location on campus and walk to their classes instead of driving around, wasting gas, trying to find the closet parking space to the building, and often times they’re late anyway,” Branch said. “Walking is a great form of exercise.”
Many people think that working out means you have to spend hours at the gym or run marathons; however, Branch said, “All students need to find some time in their busy schedules to work out, even if it’s for 15-20 minutes each day. The No. 1 excuse that people give for not exercising is not enough time. That’s a very poor excuse. You have to budget your time. Prioritize the most important things in your life. After all, the most important asset you have is your health.”
Stretching is just as important as exercising, so when you wake up in the morning, stretch for just five minutes. This should wake you up and make you more flexible. Stretching is also really important because it prevents injury to your muscles, so do it every morning and before and after every workout.
After you stretch, you can do sit-ups or lift weights. This won’t take long, and the amount you do will build as you gain strength.
Experts say that walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can significantly improve health. A great way to exercise and save time is to go out running or walking with a friend. No matter where you live, you can go for a walk. Running with a friend is a lot more fun and you’re more likely to commit to it if they’re expecting you to run with them at certain times every week.
Branch worries that if students are too sedentary, there could be a skyrocketing increase in type II diabetes, obesity and other forms of chronic diseases that are related to a lack of health and fitness in America.
“How we take care of ourselves today will have a tremendous impact on our health and wellness 5, 10, 15 years down the road,” he said.
“Students often ask me when is the best time to work out,” Branch said. “My answer is anytime you can fit it into your schedule, morning, lunch time, afternoon, or night – just do it.”