Making the Most of My Workouts
March 2, 2018
Elisa Palumbo – Montview Student Union: Member Services
Even though I do not work at the LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center, you will find me there six days of the week. Since college life involves a lot of sitting, whether in class or at the library, I consider the gym a non-negotiable part of my day. Not only do I enjoy the physical benefits, but I also find that working out helps reduce my mental stress by giving me a break from school. Though last semester I struggled with organization in my workouts, this spring I made a few “new semester’s resolutions” that have kept me on track while working out.
Three times of the week I work out first thing in the morning. I don’t like working out on an empty stomach, especially since I wake up with quite an appetite. My research in health and fitness has taught me the importance of starting out with a good breakfast. That being the case, I enjoy making collagen coffee or matcha green tea lattes. I warm-up and froth some nut milk to get my healthy fats, then mix it with the coffee or matcha and top it off with collagen powder. Though minimal, it has all the nutrients needed to give me energy and keep me full until my bigger post-workout breakfast.
One of my biggest “resolutions” this semester was to get rid of uncertainties before walking through LaHaye’s gates. In my own experience, I’ve seen that going to the gym without a plan can lead to a lot of wasted time and minimal results. So back in January I took the time to research and build my own plan (I drew inspiration from Spotebi, Muscle & Fitness and BodyBuilding.com). I like to do strength on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, then add cardio and abs on Wednesday and Saturday. This program is personalized to my class schedule, so it works for me, but you can do whatever correlates with your day. I noticed that when I choose my own exercises, I get more excited to hit the gym.
Maintaining a strict time limit has increased my focus and made me much more productive. I used to take my time at the gym, unconsciously letting precious minutes slip away. My mindset changed when I set a boundary to spend no more than one hour at the gym – period. I check my phone right when I walk in and make a mental note to leave in sixty minutes. It’s a fun challenge to have a checklist of exercises I need to perform in a specific time. Some days this will vary, especially if I’m doing a longer cardio workout, but I try not to let the gym take too much out of my day. Research has shown that over-exercising can be counterproductive because muscles weaken through overexertion and the subsequent stress can increase fat storage and cravings.
I’ve also found the importance of accountability in keeping up with workouts. Because I made my plan while visiting my sister in California, I shared it with her. Knowing that someone else was doing the same exercises really increased my motivation. I am able to wake up for my morning workouts because I drive over with two friends. Going with them keeps me from sleeping in. Even though we don’t do the same program, having other people there pushes me to work harder and finish in a reasonable time. We top it off by grabbing breakfast, whether a smoothie from Natural or oatmeal and eggs from Fresh Market, then leave by 9 am. Expecting a really good post-work out breakfast gives me more drive to work hard in the morning. It makes everything more satisfying.
On my journey of health and fitness, I’ve realized that working out is about consistency and figuring what does and does not work. Because we live in a culture that revolves around finding the quickest and easiest solutions to problems, long-term workout goals can be daunting. Technology has made us impatient because it has made us addicted to instant gratification. But when it comes to exercise, results take time. Tony Horton, creator of p90x once said, “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your body.” He couldn’t be more right. It takes time but every second counts. Finding what works for you and having a plan will make it a lot more fun, and the results will be a bonus.