Hi Bulls!
Winter break is finally here! Now that finals are over and studying has been placed on hold, it feels like there’s a lot more time to spend on other activities. If you’re anything like me, sleeping in might be top of the list. With that said, it’s important to not be a complete couch potato the next 4 weeks. The American Heart Association recommends that adults (that means you!) do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity every week. Lugging your backpack and books all over campus was an easy way to add to your weekly minutes. But now that you’re on break you’ve got to be a bit more creative. Below are a few ideas on how to stay active during winter break. Make sure to take precautions to stay safe from Covid-19 during any activity you participate in.
- Home workout – If you’re fortunate enough to have a home gym, then you’re all set. Some of you may have access to a gym in our community, but don’t want to put ourselves at risk of getting Covid. I prefer to workout at home. If you have free weight equipment like a pair of dumbbells or ankle weights, you can look up dozens of exercises to do with those. There are hacks to making your own workout equipment like using filled gallons in place of free weights. If you’re really stuck in a pinch and don’t have any available equipment, don’t worry! Body weight exercises are moves you can do using only your body, no equipment required. These are exercises like squats, push-ups, planks, etc.
- Get outside – Lots of people like to take their workout to the outdoors. If it’s a nice day out, go for a walk, run, or jog. Check out some parks in your area and take a hike on a trail. If you have a bike, look for some biking trails you can explore. Or if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that’s warm enough, go for a swim!
- Just keep moving – Staying active doesn’t just mean exercising. You can find other ways to keep your body moving like dancing, gardening, or cleaning and reorganizing. If you live with any siblings or roommates, you can play games like tag, hide and seek, or even have a dance-off! You can even get active with your pet by taking them out or crawling around with them for a while.
- Not just your body, but your mind too – It’s important to stay mentally active over break, especially since you’re taking a break from studying. Some popular options include reading a book, doing a jigsaw puzzle, playing a board game, or doing sudoku or crossword. These activities help sharpen your critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as put your imagination to work.
What are some ways you like to stay active? Share in the comments below.
Until next time!
-Karina
nutrition-nook.com 