Stop Making Excuses – Go out and exercise!

Maxwell Mayleben ® Editor In Chief |

Although this week’s extreme cold has us wondering whether or not we will ever see warm weather again, it is about that time for people to start thinking about the dreaded “summer body.” 

With spring break rapidly approaching, another fear students have is looking good at the beach. 

While yes, exercise is great for making us look good at the beach to get that fire instagram post, that should not be the only goal of it. 

During this time of a global pandemic, it is crucial to focus in on our mental health and work toward feeling good doing things that we can still control. 

Exercise is one of those things.

Whether it is going for a run after a stressful day at work, hitting the weights five times a week or just going on a 30-minute walk around campus, getting some form of activity into your daily routine is a proven mood enhancer. 

But of course, we all run into the main issue: excuses. 

Whether it is because you are “too tired all the time,”  “don’t know what to do” or even “I don’t feel like it today,” we are quick to justify not putting in work to better ourselves. 

The biggest problem with each of these excuses is that the best way to get over them is by actually exercising. 

Consistent exercise has been proven to boost energy throughout the day. Training your muscles gives them more strength and endurance, which in turn, gives you more energy to make it through the day. 

When it comes to not knowing what to do or how to go about getting in shape, this should be no excuse. 

There are crazy amounts of resources both on and off campus when it comes to how to exercise and be healthy. Whether it is utilizing the Otto Rec Center, going to group workout sessions that are offered by the university, or simply watching one of the millions of exercise YouTube channels, there is a plethora of resources to learn how to better yourself. 

The biggest and scariest excuse though is “I don’t feel like it.” 

This is the hardest hurdle, because it’s simply you telling yourself exercise is something you are choosing not to prioritize. It is the hardest excuse to break through, because there are no external factors, it is just your own mind. 

Especially during this time of pandemic, it is so easy to stay inside and not leave your couch. This can be detrimental to one’s mental health as well as physical. If we can work to get through the roadblocks that we set up in our mind, we will be able to live a much healthier lifestyle.