Farewell, freshman fifteen: Sticking to an exercise routine

For the latter half of my childhood and early teenage years, I was on a competitive swim team. I had practices 6 days a week, 2-3 hours a day, so making sure I was getting enough exercise was never really on my radar because it simply didn’t have to be.

In the summer of 2016, my exercise habits were abruptly put to an end. Long story short: brain surgery, post-surgical complications, being in the hospital on my first day of freshman year—some really fun stuff. I decided not to continue swimming, both for the physical toll it had taken on my body (swimming pushing me past my limits was what led to my diagnosis in the first place) and the negative social environment I found myself in. For six months post-op, I was not allowed to do any physical activity other than walking.

I was at somewhat of a cross-roads; I did not know how I would supplement this loss of exercise routine and couldn’t even try if I wanted to. I would love to say that I have a solid exercise routine that I love, but in all honesty, I am still working on it. I would be lying if the thought of exercise didn’t overwhelm and stress me out like crazy sometimes.

So here’s what I can say for sticking to an exercise routine in college:

First off, remember that you don’t in any way, shape, or form have to be perfect. If you’re following a workout video, it isn’t necessary that you can keep up with every single set. If you are in the gym, don’t worry about anyone else’s workout routine. Personally, I chose to workout in the privacy of my room; I find it reminds me that I am exercising for myself, not for anyone or anything else.

As for what my weekly exercise consists of, I am actually very proud of what I have come up with for this semester. I looked at my schedule, found some free time, and chose a different type of workout for each day. Here’s what my schedule looks like right now: Tuesdays I go on a 3-4 mile walk (or a short run if I’m feeling up to it), Wednesdays I follow along with a pilates video (I really like Move With Nicole on YouTube), Thursdays my break is a little smaller, so I do a short yoga or stretching routine, Fridays I do some type of weights workout, and on the weekends I enjoy long walks along the pier. With this schedule, I am able to figure out what I enjoy by trying different types of exercise, and also not get bored since I am always able to change it up.

Something I have been doing on campus to expand my exercise repertoire and fill my schedule is participating in the Stevens Running Club. While I am nowhere near the cardiovascular fitness level I used to be—which gets me down sometimes—I enjoy my time with other students who are working to improve their health, too. While I am still always one of the first people to break off from the group and start walking, I am still extremely proud of myself for taking these steps to improve my fitness levels. In the span of one week alone, I was able to double the distance I am able to consistently run—from half to a whole mile—regaining my confidence in my abilities as I go.

While I’ve learned a lot about myself and what works for me through prioritizing my health and building exercise into my weekly schedule, through conversations with others it became clear to me that I am not the only person who struggles to mentally tackle the idea of exercise. Especially given the current pandemic, many people have lost access to their main sources of exercise and feel somewhat lost trying to regain both physical and mental strength.

To end off, here are some quick tips for creating your own cost-effective college exercise routine:

1. Try different types of workout videos online to see what you have fun doing and doesn’t make exercising feel like a chore.
2. Utilize the Stevens gym if you are interested in heavier weights or exercise machines.
3. Take a walk, run, or jog along the pier and enjoy the fresh air.
4. Ask a friend to be your workout buddy, they might appreciate just as much as you do.

Lifestyle HACKs is an Opinion column written and created by Zoe Hack ‘24 to discuss studying guides and techniques, healthy cooking and eating, and other lifestyle tips during college life.