I need to go to the gym…

…but I don’t have time.

Does that sound familiar to you? It sure does to me.

The last two years, I commuted for an hour every day for school and work. I took 5-6 classes each semester, had several part time sedentary jobs, lead some student organizations, and studied late into the night. I never have enough time for sleep, proper food, or physical activity. That’s obviously really bad, and it’s finally starting to sink in.

Let’s face it. I’m a creature of habit, so it’s going to be really hard for me to change everything I have been doing… but I can definitely tweak my busy schedule a little.

I get off of work at USG at 5pm. That is a very bad traffic hour to go back home for me. Instead of spending the next 70 minutes or so in traffic, I figured I could use that time to be more active.

Our USG Campus Recreation Center is located on the second floor of building 3. Did you know it was there and that it’s free?

It is so convenient for me! I just need to go down a few floors to get there after work. I’m not very creative when it comes to being active so I use the elliptical or the treadmill for 30 minutes. By the time I’m done, it’s just a 40 minutes’ drive home. Add that up, and it’s still 70 minutes so it’s not like I even had to find extra time to be active.

Doesn’t that work out great? Even though it’s not much, it’s definitely going to help me be healthier too. According to CDC, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity can put me at a lower risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.

Of course, being physically active is great, but not everyone does it. That’s why I think it’s important to start somewhere manageable and go from there. Especially if you’re a student or staff on USG’s campus, you should take advantage of our Rec Center, classes for yoga, Zumba, and cardio-kickboxing, the volleyball court, basketball court, and the bikes to ride around the neighborhood. You don’t necessarily have to do these things or go to the gym. You can walk around the neighborhood. Watch Youtube workouts in your room and follow the routines. There are numerous to be active.

Start somewhere.