Getting Back into Fitness When Starting University: A Guide to Finding Your Balance

Starting university is an exciting time in life. It is a time that comes with its opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities. This means that fitness can easily find it's way to the backseat of your life. However, maintaining or restarting your fitness routine can improve your overall well-being. Let's look at how you can find balance in your routine.

Why Fitness Matters at University

University life can be demanding—long hours of study, new social circles, and the stress of adapting to a new environment. Fitness provides a way to manage stress, boost your mood, and increase your energy levels, helping you stay sharp and focused. Regular exercise also improves sleep quality, which is often disrupted by the irregular schedules and late nights common in student life.

1. Setting Realistic Goals

When getting back into fitness, its important to set achievable and realistic goals. With the unpredictability of your university schedule, it's a good idea to start with smaller, more manageable fitness goals. This could mean exercising only 3 times per week instead of 5 or adding physical activities into your day to day life like cycling and walking.

2. Finding a Fitness Community

Joining our group fitness classes is the perfect place to start finding your tribe. You could even start a group at the gym by getting your friends to sign up and make it a fun experience for all of you. Being part of a community with like-minded goals is a great way to stay accountable.

3. Balancing Fitness with Academics

Fitness is not supposed to interfere with your academics but be used as a tool to boost your study. Time management is the most important thing to master when trying to balance academics and fitness. If you plan your workouts as well as your study sessions in advance, it can help with keeping that balance. Every day wont be the same and studies can take priority on some days but perhaps that is when you need to take time to exercise and clear your mind - resulting in improved productivity.

4. Nutrition Matters Too

One of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the nutrition that goes with it. At university, it can especially be tempting to reach for takeaways and snacks. However, a balanced diet will fuel your workouts and support your overall health and immune system while you study.

5. Enjoy the Journey

Lastly, remember that fitness is a journey, not a destination. It’s ok to have setbacks or miss a workout here and there. What’s important is to keep going and enjoy the process. University is a time of growth and discovery, and your fitness journey is part of that experience.

Getting back into fitness while starting university might seem daunting, but with the right mindset and approach, it can become a rewarding part of your university experience. By building healthy habits, you can enjoy a fitness routine that supports your academic success and enriches your university life. So, lace up those trainers and take the first step toward a healthier, more balanced you!