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Posted Jan. 2, 2016

Postgrad Ways to Stay in Shape Without Spending a Fortune

Postgrad Student Exercise

Another January. Another year where you look in the mirror and sigh at how much you have let yourself go since you came to university.  You have heard of the ‘Freshman 15’, where you put on a stone in your first year as an undergrad, but somehow this is still a problem three or four or if you’re a mature student even more than 10 years later now you’re a postgraduate student. You would join a gym, but your bank balance has not been in the black since Halloween. It is a classic student tale of woe, but it need not be. With a little ingenuity and a lot of willingness to look ridiculous in exercise clothes in front of others, you can keep fit and even lose some weight with little or no expense. Here’s how…

Join a society   Whatever physical activity you want to do, there is a high probability that there is a university society for it. Wherever you go to uni, there are likely to be groups where you can do exercise with like-minded people, whether it be running, cycling, or something more niche like pilates. You could even try a sport or fitness activity completely new to you, like a dance class. Whatever you choose, you will be keeping healthy and making new uni friends at the same time, which is one of the great things about societies.

Start a sport   If you are looking for a workout that has a little more structure (aka you want to win at something), why not join a uni sports team. There is a common misconception that you should only join a team if you are really good at a sport, but the bigger and more unusual sports will almost certainly also have team specifically for beginners. Have another go at a childhood favourite or try something completely bizarre like muggle quidditch . A simple search on your SU page or on Google will tell you everything you need to know about what your college offers and how you go about signing up to try it out.

Cook your own meals (and learn to cook well)   Without trying to sound like a naggy parent, ready meals are full of fats, sugars and chemicals that are doing you absolutely no favours. You do not necessarily have to change the sort of things you eat, just cook them for yourself. If nothing else, you will know exactly what is going into what you eat. If you already have some prowess in the kitchen, expanding your repertoire beyond the stodgy pasta bakes and curries that are student staples can also be a lot healthier for you. Learn to cook a new vegetable, or even try a whole healthier cuisine like Japanese .

Get on your bike   If you have a bike gathering dust in your parents’ shed, why not take it to uni and swap car or public transport rides for cycling? It is not only healthier for you, but better for the planet and a hell of a lot cheaper than endless bus tickets, Uber rides and the cost of running the average only-held-together-by-bumper-stickers student car. If you can conquer your fear of busy roads (which you get used to fairly quickly), then cycling really is a win-win-win.

Walk while you revise   If you are an auditory learner, or even someone who records their lectures/has uni texts that are available on audiobook, then taking revision walks is a great way to stay fit without having to cut into revision time. Plus, it offers a more pleasurable alternative of endless highlighting under a bright desk lamp. Find a spot of beauty in your city, a landmark or a park, put your audio files on your phone, and just walk for an hour or so. It is low intensity exercise, but it sure is effective.

 

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