Gravity keeping you grounded?

Do you know the feeling you get when you hit your stride? I don’t necessarily mean a running stride, but in anything. Say you’re writing a paper the night before it’s due, but the panic has subsided because you’ve got some flow? Now compare that to two weeks prior when you were reading over the assignment in the syllabus and couldn’t find the momentum to put pen to paper or digits to keyboard. Well, there are some simple laws of physics that have been explaining this phenomenon since modern science’s early days. That’s right, I believe a clever mister Newton figured: an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force– that’s like you writing a paper (in motion) until you reach the page limit (external force) or running the field house track (in motion) until lactic acid (external force) burns your legs into jelly and you have to stop. Now there’s also this business of the whole friction/gravity thing, those forces (although useful for keeping us on the earth) are often preventing us from moving. Let’s go back to the essay analogy: the forces preventing you from starting your paper could be almost anything; Facebook, what to eat for dinner, Pinterest, even sunshine outside! The trick to getting the paper done is starting. The same goes for exercise. With the weather getting nicer, there are fewer excuses to hibernate indoors, although a winter of inactivity is a whole lot of friction to overcome. Here are some tips that I think might help you get moving:

1. Put your workout gear on. Walk outside.
2. Make a new running playlist; be sure to put Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen on it.
3. Get a sweet deal on a $7/month locker rental at the Athletic Centre! That your stuff is there when you need it and there’s little planning required when you check out the free drop -in classes!
4. The time to wear spring clothes is around the corner, so get excited about showing off your toned legs and bare arms – ideal for soaking up some healthy vitamin D!
5. Make a bucket list of fun outdoor activities to do with friends. If you haven’t gone skating yet it’s not too late to say farewell to a fun winter activity. The Spring Thaw at the Varsity Centre on the 29^th is free for U of T students and AC/VC members!

  I don't know about you but I'm having a hard time keeping my feet on the ground with all this warm weather and sunshine! If you think you've got Seasonally-Affected More Active Spring Than winter (SAMAPTW)-like symptoms, try to spread the movement to your friends and fam! Or drop a line in the comment box and tell me how you plan to beat friction. Cha cha for now. Laura