On March 11th, the five bloggers of UpbeaT went to Frosh Fit together. This week, each blogger will be posting about their experience. Today is Danielle's.
One of my favourite pastimes is sitting in front of the television with a big tub of ice cream while watching weight loss shows. The Biggest Loser, The Last 10 Pounds, MTV’s I Used to Be Fat, you name it, I watch it – and eat to it. Although this goes against the morals of these shows, there’s something about it that allows me to gain a sense of amusement. Sadly habits like these have also led me to gain more than the feared “Freshman Fifteen”.
I used to work out several times a week, if not every other day. Even though my schedule was completely packed I would make it a point to go to the gym because not only did it lead to a healthier lifestyle, but it made me feel good emotionally. After working out, I was never easily troubled and was immensely more content than usual. That is why I tried to make it a point to fit it into a busy schedule, no matter how stressed out I was.
Unfortunately, deadlines and procrastination were my downfall and the gym became just another item tacked on my to-do list that never got done. It has been about a month since my last gym visit and I have always told myself I would get back into the swing of things when school cooled down and I had a chance to breathe. Besides, with all the walking I’ve been doing on campus I imagine that it is enough of a work out anyway!
Last Friday, the whole gang of UpbeaT bloggers was challenged to take part in a drop-in class offered by the Athletic Centre called Frosh Fit. From what I was told, it is an introductory course offered in three progressive levels that is meant to educate students about healthy lifestyles. Although the name of the class suggests it is open to frosh only, it is in fact open to students from all years.
So that Friday morning, I got into the spirit by donning my red and white frosh shirt that brings back great memories from orientation. We never really had a work out session or anything like this fitness program built into our orientation; however I can recall frosh week itself felt a lot like boot camp! We were running all around campus and the downtown core while screaming, cheering and showing high spirits. That’s something I could never forget. I haven't worked out like that in ages! Last Friday came pretty close.
I usually work out at the Hart House gym and had only ever been to the Starbucks and the Varsity store at the AC. Frosh Fit took place in the dance studio, which took a maze of staircases to find! Manoeuvring around those stairs was a pre-workout in itself! But as soon as we got there and we were introduced to the circuit of exercises that we were about to tackle, I thought it would be a breeze. In reality, the repetition of simple controlled movements made such a great impact, I can still feel the burn even days later.
I thought that my usual workout routine of cardio on the track and elliptical machines would give me a tougher workout, but the Frosh Fit workout targeted a lot more of my body and gave me a full workout. It was quite surprising considering how much I underestimated it to begin with!
The best part is that a lot of the exercises are totally doable at home. It only takes a mat and minor equipment such as free weights, elastic workout bands, etc and you are all set!
So how do I feel after the workout? Like I haven’t worked out in a really long time, for starters. Secondly, walking downstairs is painful. Third, after all this pain... is it strange to say that it really made me want to get back on track and make working out a regular part of my lifestyle again? It’s something that you should ease into. I used to be able to hit the gym on the daily, but I really think it should be a progressive process; otherwise I am bound to burn out again and lose focus.
For those of you wondering where to start, why not try a drop-in class? Frosh Fit is one of the many classes offered for FREE at the AC. However there are so many different ones to choose from, including those at the Hart House Gym. Although it is meant to be an introductory course, I think it was a bit difficult to ease into. One of the classes I really enjoyed when I was starting out was Cardio Salsa or Kick’n Cardio. It felt more like a dance lesson than a workout, but I definitely felt it afterwards – and learned a whole new routine.
My last words of advice would be: bring a water bottle, make sure you stretch and have fun!
- Danielle
Hey Danielle! Great workout last week. If you’re looking for other fun classes, you should try Zumba. I definitely feel awkward when I’m doing it…I’m not much of a hip-shaker.
But, since everyone else is awkwardly shaking their hips and booty, you forget how ridiculous you feel and just have fun.
Good luck with getting back into a routine. Feel free to join my friend and I on Tues/Thurs mornings if you’re looking for a workout buddy.