Blog

Lindsey Haithcock- Marketing Employee
The cold-weather months can take a toll on your mental health, so it’s extremely important to carve out time for yourself. The days are shorter and the weather is colder. The holidays are over, and suddenly it feels like an eternity until the next break or warm weather. While some of us enjoy the aspects of spring, summer, and fall, winter just seems to be more of “love it or hate it” season. Whether you’re managing seasonal depression, or new-semester stresses, effective self-care strategies to get you through the winter months can make all the differences in how you feel as the months drag on.
Here are 5 winter self-care strategies to help to get you through these ever-so-frosty winter months:
1. Get some sun!
Getting outside is important all year, but especially during the winter months. Vitamin D is crucial for the health of our bones. The lack of sunlight can also negatively affect your mood. Pushing yourself to layer up and go for a run outside, a walk, vitamin D supplements, or even buying special lights for your dorm / apartment can make all the difference.
2. Leave the house
Going to the gym can help you connect with others while also boosting your health on several levels. Exercise is amazing for your body – it … Read More

Gabi Mims- Marketing Employee
You’ve done it again. You’ve beaten last year’s holiday food consumption by—well, let’s just say a large margin. You’re proud of what you’ve accomplished and all the food you’ve eaten, but you know it’s time to start eating healthier.
Here are some easy tricks you can start doing at home or in your dorm that can help you get started on losing your holiday weight.
1. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
You have every right to enjoy the holidays and eat 3 pieces of pumpkin pie in one day. Your stomach might not be thanking you for it now, but don’t be upset with yourself for indulging over Christmas Break. Recognize that you can’t do that every day and move past it. You can work off the extra weight in no time!
2. Stop Snacking
Reducing your snack intake and only eating a reasonable amount of food at meal times will greatly decrease the total amount of food you eat in a day, and therefore the total calories in your diet. In addition, potato chips and holiday leftovers need to go in the trash. These definitely won’t help you get started with your goals, and it won’t help if they’re tempting you from the kitchen.
3. Get Moving
The holidays are … Read More

Torrin Nelson- Marketing Manager
It is that time of year. The semester is over, and you have probably exhausted yourself from a lot of work academically and physically during the semester, but you now have the opportunity to take a break and let your body and mind rest. If you keep pushing forward without listening to your mind and body, you could find yourself at a burnout and physically and mentally unhealthy. Rest and relaxation are commonly mixed up, but both are important to your health, and now is the perfect time to practice a little rest and relaxation to recharge your body for the upcoming semester.
Rest is allowing your body to slow down and recuperate. Rest can be achieved by sleeping and low states of activity. Resting implies that your body isn’t actually doing much except for literally recharging itself. Without proper rest, the body can be susceptible to sickness and will lead to burnouts. These burnouts can be physical, mental, and emotional, and often they’re a combination of all three. During this break between semesters, allow your body to rest. This doesn’t mean that you need to avoid all forms of activity, but instead, be mindful and intentional about listening to your body and … Read More

Lindsey Haithcock- Marketing Employee
This month, thousands of people will create a list of resolutions for the new year. Generally, these are goals people will set that they want to do every day, such as going to the gym on a regular basis or cutting out sugar. It’s a well-known joke that gym crowds surge on January 1st, only to thin back out by March—or even January 2nd. It almost seems like resolutions are meant to be broken.
It is pretty difficult to develop new habits or drop deeply-ingrained habits cold turkey. Although it is hard to keep them, resolutions are a great way to make self-improvements in the new year. If you want to set yourself up for the best chance of successfully achieving your goals, start with these smart tips for developing actionable resolutions you can stick to.
1. Make Smaller Resolutions
The first key to success is zoning in on one goal, not two or three. Ask yourself, “What level of commitment will this require to achieve?” and consider if you’ll be able to match it. Are you really going to cut chocolate off completely? Limiting yourself to a couple Reese’s Cups a week might actually be more achievable.
2. Get Specific With Your Goals
“Save money” is a good goal to have, but how exactly are you planning to … Read More

Gabriela Mims- Marketing Employee
It’s nearing the end of the semester, and with that comes—you guessed it—final exams. Final exams are possibly the most dreaded facet of a college career. You work the entire semester writing papers, creating projects, and studying loads of materials to take a test to see if you learned what you were supposed to learn. Finals are an important part of university; however, they can trigger a lot of stress that can actually inhibit your ability to perform your best. Taking a break from your studies to work out—or even just practice your breathing—can be a tremendous help as you prepare for finals.
Breathing/Meditation
Although breathing is natural, and we do it every minute of every day, practicing breathing exercises can be a huge help to conquering exam stress. By deep breathing, you increase oxygen flow to your brain while simultaneously giving your mind a break from studying. If you take 5 minutes to focus on your breath, you’ll find that your mind will function better, and you’ll be able to finally focus on that paper you’ve been trying to write.
Yoga
If you have a little longer than 5 minutes, think about doing some yoga. Yoga can ease tension in your body, as it releases a calming chemical in your brain which can alleviate your pre-exam nerves. … Read More

Alivia Chenoweth- Marketing Intern
In the past 15 years, CrossFit has hit the fitness industry by storm. It emphasizes interval training and Olympic weightlifting, but CrossFit also includes modifications making it similar to normal exercises if you aren’t an Olympian. It’s a great way to stay fit with aerobic and strength-based routines.
CrossFit displays five characteristics and/or values:
Intensity: CrossFit is fast-paced that can take less than 15 minutes a day because it is nonstop movement. It normally consists of three to four routines with repetitions during a set time.
Motivation: Through all the intensity, keeping a strong mindset through it all is where you will start seeing results. Putting in the effort isn’t as easy as it seems, and it’s easy to cheat reps. However, CrossFit workouts are tailored to maxing out.
Improved Heart Health: In CrossFit, your heart rate is elevated throughout the entire routine, which leads to increased endurance. With improved heart health, CrossFit contributes to other aspects of your life while also helping with your endurance for other exercises.
Building Relationships: Going to the gym is often times intimidating especially when it comes to trying out new routines. CrossFit training with another person or group of people sets aside that awkwardness and helps build confidence in yourself and others. Working out with people helps you to push yourself to the finish line … Read More

Alivia Chenoweth- Marketing Intern
It’s “fall ya’ll” and you know what that means. It is that time of the year where food starts becoming oh-so-good but oh-so-bad for you. The candy comes out for Halloween, the fall flavors at Starbucks are your everyday go-to, and then here comes Thanksgiving and Christmas, and let’s not even go there.
Keeping up regular exercise too in the midst of a 3-month food fest is the most important thing to be doing for your body. It helps fight diseases, it boosts moods and memory, and helps combat anxiety and depression. Plus, it just feels good to be fit.
Here are 5 ways to eat mindful, not mindless:
1. Portion control: You can still eat everything you want BUT in moderation. Yes, please treat yourself and eat those White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie M&M’s, just don’t eat the whole bag. Pay attention to the serving size on the packaging and try to follow along with that.
2. Slow down: Enjoy each bite and put your fork down while chewing, then take a drink between each bite. This gives your body enough time to trigger your brain that you are satisfied.
3. Use technology: Surprisingly, there are a lot of options to help track your calories! Apps such as MyFitnessPal are perfect as you can set goals and it helps you achieve them.
4. Plan: Plan … Read More

Written By: Jacen Hamilton
As cooler weather moves through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, outdoor adventurers congregate to enjoy a myriad of outdoor recreation opportunities within a stone’s throw of Liberty University. It is no secret that Liberty students enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities as leaves begin to detach from tree branches throughout the mountains. Likewise, Liberty students thrive (and often times, survive) on an assortment of coffee products throughout the greater Lynchburg area.
What do coffee and hiking have to do with one another? I think that these two experiences, though very different, often prove to be mellow, smooth and warming.  They also both work together to bring community and encourage relationships.  I have shared memorable experiences and conversations over a cup of coffee and on trails.
So, for the first time, I have paired my experiences hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains with my Lynchburg coffee preferences to produce the official “Coffee Hikes” lineup.

Best Overall: Third Wave Coffee / Spy Rock
Coming in at the top spot, Third Wave Coffee located in Forest, VA boasts unbelievably rich coffee alongside a welcoming atmosphere. Third Wave’s top-notch customer service paired with an intense care for the art of coffee making brands this shop as the best coffee in Lynchburg. A large inventory of Third Wave’s premium coffee is ethically sourced from high altitude locations throughout the world. Likewise, Spy Rock provides hikers … Read More

Lindsey Haithcock- Marketing Intern
The body is hard-wired to require a certain amount of sleep every night in order to perform to the best of its ability. Without the proper rest we cannot perform as well physically or cognitively. For athletes or people who exercise regularly, sleep is extremely important.
Being a college student is especially challenging in trying to get enough sleep. There are many sleepless nights due to homework, but getting proper rest is just as important as anything else. For the physically active, sleep deprivation carries risks such as: slower recovery time and a greater chance of exhaustion. If one is extremely tired, they are more prone to injury and most likely will not perform as well.
Are you getting enough sleep?
The recommended amount of time a person should get per night is around 7-9 hours. It is also recommended that you log your sleep for one week to account for how much you are sleeping per night. Note what time you fall asleep, what time you wake up. Note how you feel throughout the day—are you more energized or more sluggish? How drowsy do you feel?
Tips on Sleeping Well
1. Take a look at your schedule and try to set a time daily that you will go to sleep and a time that you will wake up. Try … Read More

Amanda Pagán – Marketing Intern
Isn’t it crazy how certain smells can trigger such strong emotions and memories? That’s because our sense of smell is a powerful sensation that is tied to different parts of our brain. When we smell something, it passes the areas in our brain that store emotions and memories.
Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. It’s been used to manage pain, improve sleep quality, reduce stress, improve symptoms of depression, and even soothe sore joints. When inhaled or applied to the skin, essential oils have been shown to help people overcome various health problems and aid in relaxation.
Some well-known benefits of aromatherapy are:
Improved Sleep Quality – Because essential oils promote relaxation, they can also help you feel sleepier before you head to bed.
Soothed Pain and Inflammation – Studies have shown that essential oils can help manage muscle pain and inflammation. Soothe those sore post-workout muscles with essential oils.
Raised Alertness – Having trouble focusing? Certain essential oils can boost your energy levels and help you better focus on the task at hand.
It might sound too good to be true but you’ll never know until you give it a try!
For more information on aromatherapy and its benefits, come to our Wellness Workshop: Aromatherapy and Your Health on September 26 from 5:30-6:30 pm in the LaHaye Rec & Fitness Center Mind/Body Studio. Learn how to … Read More