How to Stay in Shape During the School Year

The school year can be a hectic time: from intense course loads to homework to projects to extracurricular activities, students are often stretched really thin. It can, therefore, be challenging to stay healthy while you’re so, so busy. However, science shows that staying in shape can reap incredible brain benefits. Below, we’ll share some advice for how to balance a healthy lifestyle with a rigorous schedule.

Apps, Apps, Apps
No, not appetizers; we’re talking health here and the amazing ways that technology can help you stay on course with your fitness goals. Most phones nowadays come with a step counter app like Pacer built in, and this can be a great way to make sure you’re staying active. In addition, other apps like My Fitness Pal, Sworkit Kids, and Kurbo Health can serve many purposes from counting calories to tracking exercise to listing workouts and recipes, all with the goal helping kids stay in shape.

Playtime
A great and old-fashioned way to stay active is to play with friends. Too often these days, “play” means gaming or some other indoor and mostly sedentary activity. Getting outside and throwing a football or taking part in physical education classes and intramural sports can help you to stay in tiptop shape throughout the year, not to mention help with team-building, social skills, and interpersonal relationships. If you’re not sold on the importance of both structured and unstructured play, consider this: play is considered so important to child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

Make it a Family Affair
Kids aren’t the only ones who are overscheduled; their parents and family members can often benefit from exercise, too. So making staying in shape a family activity can go a long way toward keeping kids, siblings, and parents healthy. Family hikes, dog walks, games like hide-and-go-seek and tag—even yardwork—as well as vacations and trips that include physical activity are all things families can do to stay in shape. You’re more likely to succeed in reaching your fitness goals when you tackle it as a team and make it a family affair.

Make a Plan for Winter
I don’t need to tell you that Midwest winters can be brutal. When it’s windy and frigid, it’s tough to find motivation to, say, go outside for a jog. It is, then, important to have a fitness plan for the colder months when it may not be feasible to be outdoors. Since the better part of the school year occurs during the autumn and winter months, it’s good to have a way to stay fit even when the snowflakes are falling. Considering a family gym membership or indoor gym equipment, taking up a winter sport, or even just layering up and pushing through the low temps can help you stay active during an often inactive time of year.

Keep it Simple
While adhering to a fitness or exercise plan can seem daunting, keeping things uncomplicated is important. No one says you have to run a 5K every week or go mountain climbing, but small, attainable goals can work wonders for your health. Keep the acronym SMART in mind when thinking about formulating a plan: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timeframe. In other words, don’t try to do the impossible rather, create a plan that allows you to succeed. Click here for some great—and easy to follow— kids and teens workout ideas.

At iAchieve, we believe a healthy mind and a healthy body go hand-in-hand. Our tutors, academic coaches, and educational professionals can help you understand how to maximize your mental, physical, and emotional health during the busy and stressful schoolyear.

Written by Phil Lane

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