Erika Wilhite
Published: April 12, 2006
College is great for your mind, but it can be terrible for your body.
Classes are more demanding compared to those offered in most high schools, and many students work full- or part-time on top of their class loads, leaving little spare time.
“In high school I played football,” PJC student Jeoff Brown said, “and I could bench press 300 pounds, I ran a lot – and now that I’m in college, I don’t.”
Hitting the books usually means neglecting your exercise routine – assuming you ever had one – and class-related stress can trigger over-consumption of fatty, sugary foods. Coupled with little or no exercise, this can have a pretty dismal effect on your body.
“With all of the clubs, activites and homework I do, I usually don’t find time to exercise,” Jeff Rosenfeld, a Classics major, said.
But just changing your routine a little bit will get your body in shape and reduce your stress levels, which could have a positive impact on your grades as well as your mental and physical health. Yes, your grades; regular exercise doesn’t just control your weight, it also reduces your blood pressure, improves your sleep pattern and blood sugar levels, and increases the level of HDL (“good cholesterol”), all of which should make those frenzied cram sessions more bearable and profitable.
“Not only do I generally feel calmer and more relaxed when I work out regularly, my concentration also improves drastically,” Yonit Shames, a general studies major at PJC, said. “Also, all those endorphins build my tolerance for three-hour long calculus study sessions.”
Staying fit is a lot easier than you might assume. These easy tips will go a long ways towards getting your body in shape (although they probably won’t turn you into a supermodel – which we don’t recommend anyway; being underweight is no better than being overweight):
Start slowly. If you torture yourself, you’ll never stick with it.
Walk – don’t drive – to your classes. It only takes a few minutes, but those minutes add up. (And no cheating by parking close to the door!) Walking is great because you don’t have to push yourself too hard when you’re starting out – and you’re not going to hurt yourself, which is always a plus.
Double-up the stairs. Every time you take the stairs, simply take a double step or every other stair. Great for the legs and butt!
Exercise at your desk. Contracting your abdominals muscles for 30 seconds, while breathing naturally, will strengthen and tighten your stomach. Relax – and keep breathing – for a few seconds between contractions; repeat as many times as you feel comfortable.
Hit the gym over lunch; if you have an hour break, spend half an hour of it at the gym, then grab a light bite. Even fifteen minutes of cardio makes a big difference.
Yoga and Pilates instructional videos are cheap, usually last under an hour, and can be fit into all but the most hectic schedules. (And if you’re that busy, why are you stopping to read the paper? Get back to work!)
Dance. Yes, dancing is actually a great workout, and it is quite easy to implement, at home or elsewhere. Start the music and start dancing.
Also, never underestimate the power of healthy food choices. Vending machines are inherently evil and the health-conscious student should avoid them at all costs. Sugar, salt and fat don’t do anything positive for your body.
Healthy foods are relatively easy to find and prepare, and it’s worth the time – your body will thank you.
Just try simple substitutions:
Instead of soda, drink water, fruit juice or V8.
Replace chips with carrot sticks, trail mix, etc.
For lunch, opt for soup or salad instead of fast food. (Even places like Wendy’s and McDonald’s offer salads now – they aren’t entirely ideal, but they’re a whole lot better than hamburgers and fries).