Take an active break! : A small gym exercise routine

October is a terrifying time of year – and that has nothing to do with Halloween. I have never before been so overwhelmed with things that need doing/studying/writing. But we’ll get through this… right? I’m kidding of course, we always do and we will again – that thought has always been helpful to me when I’m swamped and feeling hopeless. When there’s so much to be done, it can be hard to squeeze in some physical activity. As many of us live in residences and apartment buildings with small exercise rooms, I thought I’d put together a simple small gym study break as a perfect addition to my self-care routine! Try 1-3 sets of 10 repetitions of each of the following exercises for a fast, full body workout between textbooks! Annette is shown in 3 stages of a pushup.

The Chronology of a Cough

Hey all! Here's a transcript of a conversation I recently had with my body: Me: Hey body! Have you heard? It's Reading Week! We can catch up on sleep and dramatically reduce caffeine intake to get through the day! My body: Its been very cold outside. I feel my defences are low. I notice that last week you slept less than usual. I’m thinking of expelling some of the mucus that’s trickling down your throat by developing a cough. Me: No please! Body be strong! I’m stressed. I have so much to get done this week. I don’t have time to get sick. My body: On the contrary! I’ve been strong, and I’ve been waiting patiently for this very occasion. It’ll be least disruptive now: you’ll be in contact with fewer people, and you will be able to nap all the time. Me: Argh, ok fine! But please make it quick!
Unimpressed
Unimpressed

Fitness Instructions

It's a New Year! A fun fact about me: I am a fitness instructor on campus. IMG_1986 No, but seriously. I love being a fitness instructor:
  1. I find group fitness motivating. It keeps me active, because I know that at least once a week I have to smile while I'm working out. That takes training. In our industry, we are often reminded that when we are instructing, our focus is on the participants getting a great workout. So I try to attend multiple group fitness classes a week to get a good workout myself.