Once a year, you are supposed to go visit the doctor and get a check-up, just to make sure everything is working properly. Once in a while (more than once a year) you should do a mental check-up on your exercise regime, just to make sure it is working for you. Now that the summer is reaching a close, your schedule is going to change. Classes start, clubs get rolling, and time seems to become a mythical creature. At this point, it is time to take a step back and evaluate what worked, what did not work, and how you can adapt to the coming school year.
Diet
How did your diet work for you? Was the food you bought expensive? Did it take you a long time to cook? All of these things need to be taken into consideration, especially once you have less time to spare. What were your favorite snacks? If you overindulged on Cheetos too often, don’t buy them when you get back to school. My weakness was ice cream; I will not be buying a gallon when I get back to school because I know it is impossible to give into a temptation that is not there.
When do you exercise?
When you finally get your schedule, look at when you have free time. During the summer maybe you were able to sleep in, get up, and jog a couple miles. If your classes don’t start until 11:00, then you can work out in the mornings. But if you have an 8:30 class, working out in the morning might not be in the cards. You might have to hit the gym a little later. In the end however, it depends on you and when you have the most energy.
How much time do you have?
This is a little harder to figure out simply because each day is different. After the first week or two of classes however, you should have an idea of how much homework you will have for each class and when club meetings are. Then you can figure out how much time you have to exercise. You might have to spread your workouts out throughout the day, or find a way to intensify your workout to accomplish more in a shorter period of time. It helps to know what workouts helped you the most over the summer and how much time they took to accomplish. This way you are one step ahead of the game.
What moves do you want to do?
Create a schedule. Monday and Thursday you might want to work on abs, while Tuesday and Friday might be arms. Wednesday can involve more cardio. Whatever the case may be, have an idea of what you want to work on and your favorite moves to target that area. This way when you start the workout, you will not waste time trying to figure out what you want to do. This will allow you to accomplish more and you are able to do moves that you enjoy or that challenge you.
When the time comes to evaluate, we have to look at what we did wrong and what we did right. Be critical, because the only person this will benefit is you. Ultimately, you want to accomplish your goals; you do not want to look back after a few months, realize how quickly time flew, and admit that you constantly used the excuse that there was just no time. You only get one body, and everything you put into it you will get back. Now is the time to make the most of what you have, and no more excuses!
