Trainer Tips

Helpful PowerPoints

Setting Goals

Achieve Your Fitness Goals

Pylometric Training

Easy ways to eat a more balanced meal on a meal plan

  1. Establish a routine and stick to it!
    • Example: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner, Snack
    • Allows for you eat every meal but including snacks can help to not overeat during meal times
  2. Always take a fruit
    • Better to have a banana as a go to snack than a bag of chips
  3. Drink a glass of water 30 mins. before and after every meal
    • This can provide a sense of fullness so you don’t over eat
  4. Choose at least one protein and vegetable during every meal
    • Keep the meal balanced and not filled with all fats, oils and sugars
  5. Limit the high calorie/sugar/fat options and choose a healthier alternative
    • Instead of fries, choose mashed or roasted potatoes which have less oils and salts
  6. Pack a water bottle and healthy snacks
    • Good for on-the-go snacking or unplanned delays
  7. Take time to eat your food
    • Eating with friends can help with this
    • Eating slower can lead to filling up faster and not overeating unnecessary foods

Easy ways to include fitness in college life

  1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator
    • This is an easy way to get more steps in
  2. Join an intramural sport
    • A fun way to spend time with friends and fit in exercise, too
  3. Head to the gym
    • The gym can be a great place to work off stress from the pressures of school. And if time on the stationary bike or treadmill isn’t your thing, you’ll probably find lots of other options at your college gym, such as weights. Exercise should be fun, because the more you enjoy it the more likely you are to do it regularly. So find activities you like and make them a part of your routine.
  4. Go for a run
    • Running is one of the best workouts as far as getting your heart pumping and your muscles working. Bring along a friend or earphones to play music and make it more fun.
  5. Schedule your workout time just like a class!
    • As students we schedule our classes, work, internship, time to study, and social activities, so why not schedule our physical activity as well? If you schedule time to be physically active, it will simply become part of your routine.
  6. Dorm room workouts
    • If your schedule just won’t allow you to join a team sport or visit the gym, look no further than your dorm room. Although it currently serves as your bedroom, kitchen, living room and office, that tiny space can also function as your personal gym. Clear a spot on the floor for jogging in place, jumping jacks, and skipping rope, even if your ceilings aren’t high enough to use an actual rope. On strength-training days, perform chair dips, pushups, crunches, squats and lunges. If you don’t like the idea of developing your own workout routine, simply turn on an exercise video and follow along.
  7. Do it with friends
    • With social obligations, television, school work and your cozy bed all vying for your attention, it’s easy to lose your motivation for exercising. To help you stay on track, gather a group of friends to help you stay accountable. Make a pact to work out for 30 minutes every day. If possible, work out together to increase motivation.

Fitness Self-Assessment

How fit are you? Keeping active can improve your health and wellbeing and lower your risk of developing major chronic diseases. The Department of Health recommends that adults should do 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Are you doing enough? Use this assessment to find out.

Questions

  1. The Department of Health recommends adults are moderately active for 150 minutes or vigorously active for 75 minutes each week. In an average week, how close are you to achieving this?
    1. You achieve this every week (3 points)
      1. By meeting the recommended levels of physical activity, the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes is reduced by up to 50%.
    2. You’re almost there, but not quite (2 points)
      1. Upping your physical activity levels to 150 minutes a week will lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes – by up to 50%.
    3. You do around half of what’s recommended (1 points)
      1. Upping your physical activity levels to 150 minutes a week will lower your risk of heart disease, stroke andtype 2 diabetes – by up to 50%.
    4. You’re a long way off doing what’s recommended (0 points)
      1. It’s very important that you start being more active to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes
  2. How many days a week do you do activities that strengthen your muscles?
    1. At least two days (2 points)
      1. You’re already working on strengthening your muscles which is great
        for your health.
    2. One day (1 point)
      1. You’re already working on your muscle strength which is great for your health. By
        increasing it to two days a week you’ll gain maximum health benefits.
    3. Hardly ever (0 point)
      1. You need to work on your muscle strength. Try doing exercises that use your
        body weight for resistance.
  3. If you’re not doing enough physical activity, which of the following best describes why? (You can pick more than one)
    1. “I don’t have time”; (0 point)
      1. Consider building activities into your daily routine, like walking more orcycling to work.
    2. “I’m too tired”; (0 point)
      1. Exercise can boost energy levels and even improve your sleep. Try to do a little each day.
    3. “I don’t have the willpower”; (0 point)
      1. Setting a goal can really help strengthen your willpower and
        achieving it will have great mental as well as physical health benefits.
    4. “I don’t like to exercise” (0 point)
      1. Try out lots of different activities to find something you can enjoy on a regular basis.
    5. “It’s hard work”; (0 point)
      1. As well having physical health benefits, keeping active can boost mental
        wellbeing so try to do a little rather than avoiding it.
    6. None of these (0 point)
  4. How would you describe the way you feel after climbing a flight of stairs?
    1. Great (4 points)
    2. Ok (3 points)
    3. Breathless (2 points)
      1. Avoid taking the lift or escalator every time and start using the stairs. It’s an
        easy way to build activity into your day.
    4. Exhausted (1 points)
      1. Try to make small changes in your day to increase your activity levels. Over
        time you’ll be able to climb stairs without feeling exhausted
    5. Can’t do it (0 points)
      1. Not being able to climb stairs may suggest you need to see your GP for a
        health check.
  5. How many of the following could you do easily? (You can pick more than one.)
    1. 10 sit-ups (2 points)
    2. 5 push-ups (2 points)
    3. Touch your toes (1 points)
    4. 20 star jumps (2 points)
    5. None of these (0 points)

RESULTS
11-16 points – Based on your responses today you are close to meeting or exceeding the recommended levels of physical activity. This is great for your health. Keep up the good work. The points in italics beneath your responses should give you a list of things to consider.

6-10 points – Based on your responses today you’re physically active but not quite meeting recommended levels. The points in italics beneath your responses should give you a list of things to consider.

0-5 points – Based on your responses today you’re not very active and struggling with motivation.
Start small and build up. You’ll soon gain in confidence and feel better. The points in italics beneath your responses should give you a list of things to consider.

Contact Us

Mike Rickert

Manager of Physical Health & Programming
rickertm@lackawanna.edu