Emily Block | Blogger

We all know the demands of a college student’s schedule. From 8 am class to late night meetings, it can definitely be difficult to find time for a workout. However, you don’t have to run 10 miles a day or lift 7 times a week to stay fit. In fact, staying active throughout the day is often more beneficial than a 6 am run followed with a Netflix marathon. Here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to improve your fitness and stay in shape.

1. Take the stairs.

Everybody loves a little friendly competition, even if it’s only against yourself. Use your Fitbit or other activity tracker to count your steps throughout the day. My Garmin keeps me extremely motivated to stay active (especially if I haven’t met my goal!). Little known tip: some smartphones actually have a built in step counter that can give you a rough estimate of your steps throughout the day, so you don’t even have to splurge on a fancy wristband!

4. Improve your posture.

Sitting and standing up straight is hard work! The more you engage your muscles, the more calories you will burn. Good posture can also minimize current and future orthopedic pain, making you more less likely to skip a workout. Additionally, having good posture makes you appear thinner and more confident, which is a win-win!

5. Park further away.

It may be tempting to snatch that coveted front row spot, but parking further away is another easy way to stay fit. All of those extra steps can really add up, and it’s not too much of an inconvenience.

There are plenty of ways to stay fit, even if you don’t always have time for a workout. Challenge yourself to integrate a couple of these changes into your daily lifestyle. The input is minimal, but you’ll reap the benefits.

Emily