It is no secret that some degree of challenging physical activity is positive for most people. Not everyone can be physically active in the same way, but for those of us that are able to challenge our bodies in one way or another, it is highly recommended that we do so!

Some benefits of physical activity:
• It makes us physically stronger by tearing and then re-building muscles
• We use the some of the calories we have consumed to produce energy, rather than allowing all of them to become stores of fat (which are not completely bad!)
• It wakes us up! Blood flow is increased as our hearts pump to get blood to areas that are working extra hard.

Sometimes, the trek to the gym just isn’t that appealing – or we don’t want to wait for a treadmill, or we don’t want to pay for a gym membership, or we don’t like using weights or elliptical machines.

What to do instead?

Here are three easy at-home-workout resources that don’t always require equipment and will do a fine job of waking up those dormant parts of your body! Just don’t forget to have a healthy 4:1 carb:protein ratio afterwards, followed by a good protein-rich snack!

1. Nike+ Training Club (iOS app)
This application can be downloaded to your telephone or iPad, and offers you a wide range of workouts that vary in difficulty, muscle group targeted, and duration. Feeling like you need to burn off some negative energy? Try a 45-minute strength workout that will hit every part of the body! Want to tighten up your back muscles or abs, but don’t have a lot of time? Opt for a 15-minute “Focus” workout. Some workouts suggest weights, but those can be replaced with water bottles, textbooks, or any other items with weight!

2. 7-Minute Workout
The 7 MWC application is more-or-less exactly what it sounds like: An app that provides a set workout that will take 7 minutes to complete. You are able to set the workout to cycle through more than once, to extend your workout’s duration, but if you are in need of a pick-me-up, and want to get your blood pumping, go for the 7-minute workout! No weights required.

3. Way of Gray (www.wayofgray.com)
Way of Gray was created by a young woman from Edmonton, Alberta, named Sophie Gray, who wanted to create easy, at-home workouts that do not require a lot of time but have a big impact! She has four different workout packages that you can purchase on her website (for $10 each, or as part of a bundle with recipe books included), and each package offers 16 unique workouts scheduled to be done in four weeks. The best part is that you can go back and use the workouts on any day in any order you feel like! The workouts generally fall between 15 and 25 minutes in duration. No weights required.

Exercise your mind, spirit, and body, in whatever way that might mean for you!

-Kaitlyn Tissington-Turner

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! When students are piling into Irving wearing the comfiest clothes and the heaviest backpacks, staking a claim over one small spot for the entire day/week(s). During this time of high stress you’d want to spend your time flying through your math problems like a whiz but with classes finished, it also seems like a great time to start going down the Netflix rabbit hole.

One reason you might procrastinate is that you haven’t found the right study atmosphere. People think that a productive environment is dependent on location, but what you hear has an impact on how you study. Often you don’t even know what kind of ambience you need to study effectively until you test it out. Take the opportunity to figure your study soundtrack this exam period with some Songza playlists (with some personal commentary on what I like):

No Lyrics:
Classical for Studying – This is one of my favourite playlists to read to! Let the Classics be the perfect background noise to your drier readings.

Jazz for Reading – Jazz can be really distracting for me because I just get lost in the music but this playlist strikes a great balance of keeping you focused while keeping you from falling asleep and drooling in your book.

In a Busy Coffee Shop – I find that the coffee shop environment is the best when writing those really tough final papers. Those distant murmurs give enough of a distraction and lead to the best arguments.

Epic Film Scores – This playlist is great when you really need that motivational push. Turn your study sessions into epic battles with the soundtrack from Jurassic park, Inception, and more.

Lyrics:

Blogged 50 – Songza collects all these songs from music blogs so you don’t have to. Listening to new music keeps it interesting, and keeps you and your mind fresh.

Mellow Electronica – Mellow Electronica allows you to keep the sick beats that keep you motivated without sending you straight to the dance floor.

Chillwave – Listening to the soothing sounds of vintage synths makes it hard to stress out and is a great tool to calm you down during crunch time.

Old School Rap – For some reason Old School Rap and complex math problems go hand in hand. I honestly don’t know why, but it works!

Enjoy!
-Umaima Baig

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