Fun and Fitness: Working out during the school year

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Finding a good balance between academia, friends, family and staying active can be a challenge, but folks at the Fanshawe Student Wellness Centre are here to help you fit some fitness into your schedule.

Getting started is the hardest part when it comes to… well, anything. We know that exercise and working out is so important, but where do we start and how do we stay motivated?

A good place to start is with a tour. You may have had a basic tour of the Fanshawe Student Wellness Centre when you were thinking about coming to school at Fanshawe or maybe it was offered as part of orientation activities. This tour is led by representatives from Fanshawe who are highlighting the facilities and might mention some basic programming. I’m talking about a tour led by a wellness centre staff member, where we show you where to find everything you will need for your specific workout.

The best way to get this information is to sign up online at studentwellnesscente. ca or using our app (search: Fanshawe Student Wellness Centre). This service is included with your membership and also includes instructions on how to use the equipment that you’ll need to get you started, a body composition assessment, education on importance and benefits of principle fitness components and a follow-up session as needed.

It is also the pre-requisite to our Individual Program Design (IPD). This program is also included with your membership and we offer three streams: Strength & Muscle Building, Weight Loss & Management and Athletic Conditioning.

You may fit into more than one stream so we will build the elements into your program that work best for you. This also includes a follow up. If you are doing the math, so far, you could have four to five free sessions with a trainer, including the assessment and tour.

Guess what? Only about five per cent of our members come for an orientation and less than that show up for their follow up and even less come to their IPD. It’s not because it isn’t a great program. What typically happens is, members start to make friends at the gym and just follow what their friends are doing, or they just stop coming to the gym entirely because it is not a priority. The danger with this is that you lose sight of what your goals are, your friend doesn’t have the same needs as you and you have a greater risk for injury, illness and boredom.

There are also some of those who end up jumping ahead towards personal training and some who decide that group exercise is best for them. These are great choices and we encourage them along with a well-rounded IPD that includes suggestions for what classes or other programs best suit your goals. Group exercise classes are included with your membership, but personal training / nutrition coaching is an additional fee.

Another option for many is to join one of our Exclusive Group Training (EGT) Programs. We have a variety to choose from throughout the year. These programs are great for those that like the social, supportive and friendly competition of a group, but want the more in-depth components of education, assessment and coaching that is hard to get in a group exercise class. This is also very economical as it costs significantly less than 1:1 personal training or nutrition coaching. The programs also typically offer a bonus exclusive personal training offer for the participants of the program only. This is a great way to work with a trainer and continue your goals past the program completion or until the next program starts.

The first one up for this school year is Fit in 30. It’s a functional strength training program that will get you stronger and moving better in just 30 days. It is a great way to learn how to use free weight and functional training equipment and to make exercise a habit with weekly accountability. It includes two workouts a week with a trainer, two assessments, weekly tips and education and opportunity to win prizes. The cost for students is $10. Register for this program on our website or app before Sept. 26, 2018.

If you feel overwhelmed and you are not sure where to start, come to the desk on the second floor of the Student Wellness Centre and we are happy to answer your questions and help you find the right program. It may seem stressful to add working out to your busy timetable so we are here to help you figure that out. You can also check out an infographic for “7 effective ways to make more time for exercise and nutrition” on our website.

For more information, visit studentwellnesscentre.ca