The last of the Christmas sweets have been devoured, the exams are over and you can’t find a half decent excuse to pig out anymore.
It’s time to get fit and healthy in preparation for that summer holiday you spent all your Christmas money on. However, there’s just one problem: being a poor college student you can’t afford a sun-soaked holiday and a gym membership. Sacrifices must be made. Here’s how to feel great without breaking the bank.
Walking
If you’re heading somewhere within a reasonable distance, why not walk there? You do not need anything other than a pair of runners to go walking. So, get yourself a jar and put the change you intended to use as bus fare into it. Although you may want to cry when the bus passes you for the first time, you’ll be glad you did it when you’re sipping ice tea by the pool.
Not only is walking great for strengthening muscles and building stamina, it also helps to keep diabetes, cancer and cardiac diseases at bay. If you can’t or simply won’t walk everywher,e it is recommended that you walk for at least a half-an-hour each day.
Get Creative
Need something to pump those guns? Grab your heaviest college books, put them in a bag, and use it as a substitute for dumbbells in the gym. It may look a bit strange, but no one will care once those perfectly defined arms are on show. As we live in Ireland, there’s no escaping wet and windy weather. If you’re not brave enough to face the elements you could always rent a fitness DVD from the library and workout in the comfort of your own home.
Socialize
Instead of going for fast food to catch up on the latest gossip, you could exercise with friends – this way you can get the best of both worlds. DCU clubs and societies welcome new members throughout the year – society joining fees for the second-semester are a mere €2.
Dance
There’s one thing that we will do without a doubt in semester two and that is go clubbing, just be sure to make use of cheaplists to save cash. This, for once, is not a bad thing as you can happily tell the parents that you are merely going out to get fit and not to flirt as they suspect.
Regular dancing can have a positive impact on a person’s self confidence, endurance and flexibility. Calories will also be burned in abundance as you sweat your way around the dance floor. If you can’t dance, there are tones of videos on YouTube that will sort that out. You’ll be looking and feeling like Billy Elliot in no time.
Maintain a Balanced Diet
There’s no point in exercising if you are going to eat the wrong foods. In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you must ensure that you consume the recommended daily amounts of each nutrient. Maintaining a balanced diet can be as cheap as chips if you shop around.
Lauren Kelly
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