Trying to keep fit after moving isn’t exactly easy, at the most convenient moments of our lives, a serious challenge. All the stars could align perfectly and you’re still going to make an excuse to swap that salad for a burger, or have one extra scoop of ice cream. We all do it, so don’t act like you’re any different to the rest of us.

This newfound laziness often spawns itself within people when they move. The move itself is quite stressful for all but the most relaxed people, so to be fair, once you’re safe and sound in your new place, you deserve that burger. But its what you do once you’re settled into your new life that will really make the big difference.

Being “fit” and “healthy” is a bit of wide label to throw around. There are so many varying degrees of health/fitness. We’re not all Arnold Schwarzenegger in the gym, nor do we have the ability to run like Usain Bolt. However you can probably do a bit more than what you’re classifying as “exercise” at your new home now that you’ve settled into a routine.

Below I’ll show you some of the best methods of keeping yourself in top shape, getting yourself into a healthy lifestyle, and enjoying the spare time you have.

 

Because none of us want to wake up in the morning and realise we’ve suddenly grown one of these:

 

 

 

 

Keep fit after moving:

1. Traveling:

 

To be a bit more specific, you’re studying, so turn getting there into a regular form of exercise. I don’t mean run to each of your classes, but whatever burns off that cake.  What I’m actually mean is getting from your home, to your uni.

• Do you take public transport? Easy solution, get on and off (at each end) one stop early, and walk the extra distance. You’d be surprised how much difference a small bit daily walking can do to your waistline.
• Drive yourself?Thats fine, you have to park somewhere, so park decent walk away from where you would otherwise park, and walk the distance.
• If you’re really keen, you could begin/restart cycling. Friends of mine have lost over 1k a week for a number of weeks simply by cycling 30 minutes to uni, and 30 minutes home. If cycling sounds like something up your street maybe check out http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/ to get started.
• Get picked up/dropped off? Same rule applies, get dropped off/picked up at least 10 minutes away from where you need to be, and walk the rest of the way. Every little bit helps.

 

 

2. Join a gym:

This should be an obvious one, but obviously this is quite a commitment financially, and requires a large amount of time to commit to working out, something which we don’t all have all the time. Not that I want to discourage you from joining one if you’re thinking about it, but if you’re just going to go in every couple of days and do a bit of walking on the treadmill, why not take up my advice on option 1, it’ll provide you the same benefits, along with saving you a heap. (We all love doing the cheaper option.)

However if you’ve always been a gym guy/gal, then go ahead. The gym is a great place to workout, and provides amazing results for those who are determined to put the effort in to earn them. Plus simply having a gym membership is a great motivator, I see $10.00 a week drain from my forever low bank account, so I’m going to make dam sure I get my $10.00 worth! If you’re paying for it then you’re much more inclined to get up and go use it.

Between where you live, and where you study, there has to be atleast one gym. Jetts is a popular chain that seem to be just about everywhere so check them out www.jetts.com.au/. They offer 24 hour services which means you can fit a gym session in whenever it suits your uni schedule.

 

 

3. Your food:

 

The diet of a uni student would generally be pretty bad. We’ve all be down the path of instant noodles for days, or endless energy drinks to push us through our exam prep, but this obviously does horrors to our body. If you can dedicate some real time to it, one very easy (and often delicious) way to keep yourself in good shape, is to really look at what you’re eating.

• If you know you’ve got a few busy weeks coming up, then bulk cook. It might cost a little more but then you wont need to worry about feeding yourself for 3 weeks, which will be perfect until you get through your exams and can live like a normal human again.
• Do you really need that chocolate bar/bag of chips/burger/ice cream? Being a bit firm with your food decisions every so often can do wonders for your health. A little trick I’ve found when I’m having a bit of a bad week food wise, is to ask myself if I really need it. I know its simple, but it works surprisingly well to just actually ask yourself if you need it, usually we’ll just give into our temptation before even thinking about what we’re doing.
• If you cook regularly, dedicate a couple dinners a week to be very healthy. Just making a solid change on a few nights of the week will, over time make a good difference in your health. It also sets the base for a full and healthy diet.

 

 

4. Take up an active hobby:

 

All uni’s have teams, rugby, cricket, netball, basketball, rowing, etc. Whatever it is that tickles your fancy I’m sure you’ll be able to find a team for it within your uni, or if not I’m sure you could make one. Joining a uni team also means that you’ll get to attend uni competitions which are an absolute blast, and it provides you with a great opportunity to get out, have some fun, and meet new people.

Alternatively, you can pickup a sport in your local area, but outside of uni. This is obviously just as beneficial to your health, and depending on your ability may be the better option for you, but it may not quite provide the same high social aspect of the activity.

Finally, I would suggest a personal, outdoor activity. Perhaps you live near the beach, why not take up surfing. It can do wonders for you’re fitness, along with giving you a great tan! There are a bunch of options depending on what situation you find yourself in. You could take up running, cycling, swimming, kayaking or whatever you find that looks interesting. Usually you’ll meet people that are interested in the same thing as you, but these types of activities can be done regardless of who you have around, and generally provide an easy route to a healthy lifestyle when coupled with the motivation to regularly do them.