I am willing to bet my bottom dollar that every single one of you has heard of the infamous freshman fifteen. At the end of the semester when some people step on the scale they perform a double take as if to say, “There is absolutely no way that I gained this much weight since the beginning of the year!” This makes a great deal of sense; does it not? We as college students in the trenches of the semester stare at our computer screens for numerous hours, lie down while rigorously completing assignments, and sometimes throw caution to the wind when it comes to making dietary decisions. Chipotle and Waring Station chocolate chip cookies prove to be the ultimate test of our resistance to temptation. Our minds are receiving adequate exercise day in and day out; however, are our bodies also being taken care of?
Sometimes schoolwork compels us to follow this man’s (lack of) footsteps.
Students across campus persistently evade the lurking shadow of weight gain in plenty of ways. In the beginning of the fall semester runners could be seen weaving in and out of walkers on the sidewalks. As I mentioned in my previous post, bicyclers shed the pounds by actively riding the many routes our large campus has to offer. The way which my friends and I have collectively decided to battle lethargy is weight lifting. It is a great, intensive physical hobby, and with enough dedication and experience it can even be competitive.
With proper technique and time, weight lifting is a great way to exercise and pay your body back for all of the unhealthy things you may do to it. The benefits to weight lifting cannot be adequately expressed in even a few pages worth of text. Lifting reduces stress, targets fat, builds muscle, defines your body, and so much more. In addition there exists an expanse of exercises regarding weight lifting, and the list continues to grow. This allows for versatile workout plans, and people get to choose their favorites!
What many people often forget is that lifting weights is only half of the battle. I recently watched a video showing the life of strongman Robert Oberst whose job is to lift heavy things and win competitions for it. He often emphasizes the importance of a proper diet, so this especially applies if your goal in lifting is to not only exercise but also to become stronger. In the video he provides the example that any car or vehicle works better when the appropriate fuel is used, and that the human body functions on the exact same principle. This video in a link below if you are interested, but beware of potentially offensive language.
An advantage that we specifically have is that most of us live right by White Building! This facility may become crowded at times, yet the occasional waits do not often extend the time of a trip to the gym. It does not take too much time out of your day, but it does require the effort. Therefore, whether you are a seasoned veteran, also known as a “gym rat,” or a greenhorn, consider a lift! The benefits are substantial, and the options are diverse.
I like your post and your advice to lift weights, which I have found to be a good way to get rid of the extra weight from a meal. Also running helps a lot with keeping off weight gain. I have resisted Chipotle so far but I have not been able to resist the West Cookies so that might be the source of my freshman fifteen
Haha I really like the name of your blog post. It really seems kinda fitting for a lot of the people who lift in White a little overzealously. I go to the gym with the intention of getting all parts of my body worked out by the end of the week, but the perks of being an engineer are such that I might be more along the lines of the man in the picture. It truly does feel good to lift weights as much as I can, and I try to eat lean protein, but its just the time is takes, and how long it takes in the middle of my day, that stops me from going more.
Hahaha I really liked your post! I agree with all the effects of lifting, and it feels great. Your body will feel great and love you! The problem is time unfortunately, as many of us seem to make excuses such as “I’m tired” or ” I have an exam in 2 days,” yet sometimes these excuses do not suffice. It’s difficult to make these decisions. Either study or workout, either eat first, and sleep or go to the gym than eat, than if time permits, sleep. If I had 27 hours in my day, I’d be able to work out without struggle. It’d be a piece of cake and I would be incredibly fit (like I used to be). I rode on a bike for the first time yesterday, and boy was it a blast!! Feeling the aching quads after getting off sure made me happy. I like for my body to ache so I know I am working out effectively.
Living in East I have the IM building right next door, just waiting for me to enter inside and start exercising. Unfortunately, just like many of the students on campus, I haven’t found the time to get in a strict routine of working out. I like the idea of lifting weights, something easy that is not very time consuming. I have been trying to eat healthier to make up for my lack of exercise – eating a salad instead of heading to chipotle for a burrito or avoiding stopping by the creamery on my way home from class.