{"id":8306,"date":"2018-10-02T15:39:37","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T21:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=8306"},"modified":"2019-04-05T15:02:47","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T21:02:47","slug":"staying-fit-college-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/staying-fit-college-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Fit on a College Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve all heard of the \u2018Freshman 15.\u2019 It\u2019s something every college student would prefer to avoid. While diet plays a huge role in college fitness, so does exercise. It sounds simple, but it\u2019s easy to fall of track with an exercise routine while you\u2019re in a new environment, on a tight college budget, and busy being a student. <\/span><\/p>\n

A study by Northwestern University pointed out that over 60 percent of students report not getting enough physical activity. The adequate amount of physical activity is defined as \u201cthree or more days of vigorous exercise for at least 20 minutes, or five or more days of moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a week.\u201d Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, when you\u2019re busy, stressed, and in a new environment, the thing you need the most\u2013exercise\u2013is often the first priority to be left behind. In another study conducted by McMaster University, it was found that most students in their first year of college participate in significantly less exercise than they did the year before. It\u2019s clear that college students don\u2019t make time for exercise, and rationales usually amount to time, money, or simply lack of interest. <\/span><\/p>\n

Colleges are aware of this trend and there are many resources available to you, as well as ways you can take it upon yourself to be an active person without sacrificing much time or money. We talked to Chantelle Russell, Associate Director of Physical Education at the <\/span>University of Oregon<\/span><\/a>, and Personal Trainer Andrea Collatz to come up with and ways to be active on a college budget <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> reasons to stay motivated. <\/span><\/p>\n

How you can exercise on a budget<\/b><\/h2>\n

Use campus resources<\/b><\/h1>\n

This seems obvious, but you\u2019d be surprised how many helpful fitness resources colleges offer that many students don\u2019t know about. Many colleges have an on-campus gym or rec center, as well as numerous other programs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Russell described the UO rec center as more inclusive even than your standard gym, focusing on \u201cthe ability of our rec center to be really inclusive of what movement and\/or fitness can look like. To us, it\u2019s not just about going to the gym, which is stereotypically your weights and your cardio equipment, but really how can people move their body and do things that they enjoy doing so in a playful manner,\u201d said Russell. \u201cOur goal is for [students] is to find something they can do lifelong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of this, Russell explained that the facility offers many educational resources to go along with the facilities and the program. This includes fitness orientations, demonstrations for certain activities like rock climbing on the rec center\u2019s rockwall, and swim lessons<\/span><\/p>\n

Your campus may also have fitness events outside of the gym or rec center. The UO rec center partners with residence halls as well as the wellness resource center on campus to offer yoga or dance classes in different spaces. Russell said this makes fitness \u201cnot just about the gym.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

See also: <\/i><\/b>Making the College Transition<\/i><\/b><\/a> for more help on utilizing campus resources and adjusting to college life. <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Bodyweight and other simple exercises<\/b><\/h1>\n

If you don\u2019t have access to or can\u2019t make it to the gym, there are many ways you can work out your body, with simply the weight of your body. Collatz recommended a bodyweight routine that includes simple exercises like planks or squats. Small equipment investments she recommended were things like resistance bands, a kettlebell, or single sets of dumbbells. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cResistance bands are really cheap to buy. Those are great to add into a workout for your legs, you can add them to squats, [and] you can do upper body movements with them,\u201d said Collatz.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is also the option to use objects around your dorm or home as weights, such as cans or water bottles. <\/span><\/p>\n

Park workouts<\/b><\/h1>\n

If you live close enough to a park that you can utilize the area for your workouts, definitely take advantage of this. There are many activities you can do in a park.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a park bench you can use it as a step or as an incline to do incline pushups or situps,\u201d said Collatz. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cardio in a park may include running or cardio circuits, where you can default to things like jumping jacks you learned in P.E. class. Of course, if you have access to something like a bike or rollerblades, these can be other fun ways to workout in the park. <\/span><\/p>\n

Use free online resources<\/b><\/h1>\n

Not sure where to start and don\u2019t want to ask? Luckily, we\u2019re in 2018 and there are plenty of free resources available online or in the app store. There are tons of workout videos on YouTube, fitness apps that show you what exercises to do and how long to do them, and fitness planning websites. <\/span><\/p>\n

Collatz explained that these resources can guide you through exercises so you don\u2019t feel overwhelmed. She said there are \u201capps you can download that are training you and showing lots of good workouts and circuits that you can do, [as well as] sites that actually give you a planned workout ahead of time so you can print that off and do it on your own at home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Use what you learned in high school athletics<\/b><\/h1>\n

If you were involved in a sport in high school, you have a few options to continue utilizing what you already know and enjoy. You can sign up for an on-campus club for the sport and be held accountable by your peers to coming to practices and games, and will have fun doing it! While these clubs may have a membership fee, it\u2019s usually a one time fee and a relatively small amount, depending on how much equipment your club will need. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to participate in a club, you can still utilize the exercises you learned in your high school sport. For example, if you played soccer, you can do the running drills you were taught in a field or park.<\/span><\/p>\n

What to do if you\u2019re totally new to fitness<\/b><\/h1>\n

If you\u2019re totally new to fitness, start by going to one of those apps or websites like we mentioned before, and look for beginner workouts. Or, you can ask someone at your school\u2019s fitness center about beginner workouts. Start here, then build your way up as you get used to form of certain exercise. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a beginner it\u2019s important to not overdo it that\u2019s how you injure yourself,\u201d said Collatz, who recommended keeping things simple to start out. <\/span><\/p>\n

Another resource you have in college is an abundance of peers, and exercising together is a great way to get to know your new classmates, dormmates, and roommates. If you aren\u2019t so sure what to do when you workout, recruit a friend who you think knows a thing or two. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always good to have a workout buddy to help keep you accountable and on a consistent schedule, so if you know someone whos pretty familiar with working out and can help you with your form and help you with exercises, that\u2019s good too,\u201d said Collatz.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will also make exercise more of a social activity that you can look forward to. Of course, not everyone enjoys the same exercises and has their own preferences, so as a fitness newby, find yours by trying out different options. Experiment with different modes of exercise and find what you enjoy. If you truly enjoy your chosen exercise type, you\u2019re much more likely to stick with it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should exercise in college<\/b><\/h2>\n

The exercise\u2013or lack of exercise\u2013habits that you form in college are often the habits you\u2019ll carry with you for life. College is likely the first time you are the one that is responsible for your health and wellness, and your outlook on the importance of healthy living is now up to you. The association you make with exercise, be it a stress reliever, an important part of everyday life, or a burden, can have either a positive or negative affect on your health during and after college. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are many reasons it\u2019s important to exercise, and many pertain to relieving issues one finds in college other than weight gain. Exercise relieves stress, so while exercising when you\u2019re stressed may not be your first instinct, it can actually help you get your head on straight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I hope students start to understand is when they get busy and stressed out the last thing they should drop is their exercise. It\u2019s the thing they need the most,\u201d said Russell.<\/span><\/p>\n

In turn, exercise can help alleviate mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which continue to be a growing area of concern on college campuses. According to the <\/span>Anxiety and Depression Association of America<\/span><\/a>, \u201cexercise can work quickly to elevate depressed mood in many people.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Regular exercise contributes to your overall health, which means you\u2019re less likely to get sick. Illnesses are also a common problem on college campuses, especially in dorms where an illness can quickly affect the entire building. <\/span>Harvard<\/span><\/a> reports that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to ward off illness. <\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, a bigger picture idea of why you should exercise and get involved with peers and your campus while doing it is to connect.<\/span><\/p>\n

After conducting numerous studies, UO came to the conclusion that \u201cstudents that get involved in campus and students that took a PE class their freshman year had higher persistence. It helps them build connections and build relationships not only with each other and other students, but also with faculty members,\u201d said Russell, who attributed this to \u201can increased sense of belonging on campus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reports from this study turned up several interesting tidbits about fitness and belonging. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe rec center is one of the spaces on campus where a large percentage of freshmen students reported feeling like they belonged,\u201d said Russell.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is due to the social compatibility and the relationships build in getting connected to campus in a healthy way. Russell said that being involved in this community aids students in \u201cdealing with conflict amongst your peers and team building. All those things happen through sport and movement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There are endless reasons to exercise, but also endless excuses why we as a society don\u2019t exercise enough. While college students tend to be on a tight budget, lack of funds is no excuse\u2013there are many ways to exercise that cost little to no money. Forming exercise habits that are suited to you and your interest in college is a great way to get on track for a healthy and active life. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve all heard of the \u2018Freshman 15.\u2019 It\u2019s something every college student would prefer to avoid. While diet plays a huge role in college fitness, so does exercise. It sounds simple, but it\u2019s easy to fall of track with an exercise routine while you\u2019re in a new environment, on a tight college budget, and busy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":8315,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1716,1715,1714],"class_list":{"0":"post-8306","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-colleges","8":"tag-exercising-in-college","9":"tag-forming-healthy-habits","10":"tag-staying-active-in-college","11":"ad_tags-top100"},"better_featured_image":{"id":8315,"alt_text":"","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":1920,"height":1277,"file":"s3:\/\/pcom-wp-media\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/10123818\/running-573762_1920.jpg","sizes":{},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":8306,"source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/10123818\/running-573762_1920.jpg"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Get Fit on a Budget | Staying Fit on a College Budget<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how to get fit on a college budget, and why college is an important time to establish healthy habits. 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