We’ve recently had a quick chat with Nick over at LEP Fitness on how you can get and keep active whilst still being a student, whether that’s college or university we know that student life can be a tiring one. Fancy some quick and easy meals, or maybe just a simple workout routine? Then Sheffield’s no.1 personal trainer can help you out!
Hey Nick! Thanks for putting some time aside to speak to us today, how are you keeping up? We were hoping you would be able to answer some questions for us today around keeping active whilst being a student and a bit of nutritional advice?
Hello! I’m great, thank you!
I’ve just arrived back from a holiday in Brighton – feeling refreshed after a very busy year of online coaching and yes, it would be a pleasure to help!
How would you advise students to gain motivation, especially when they are in lectures every day and having late nights after being on a night out in the town?
I know exactly what it’s like being a student (I was one myself not long ago!). You’ve got the pressures of Uni assignments, exams, etc. Then at the same time, you want to have a healthy social life and feel confident in your own skin…
It’s easy to let your health slip if you’re not careful BUT when it slips so does everything else!
My advice would be to not rely on motivation BUT instead to focus on how staying fit and looking good is going to help you during your student life.
For example:
- You’ll have more energy to work hard (instead of waking up sluggish)
- More confidence on nights out with friends
- Improved mental health (exercise gives you a boost of feel good endorphins)
I would recommend writing down 20-50 reasons as to why getting/keeping in shape is going to help you during your student life. The more benefits you can attach the less likely you’ll need to rely on motivation (which will always fluctuate).
Do you have any simple lunch and dinner ideas that are healthy but students are able to buy on a budget?
Yes, I have a bunch of free recipe books that are perfect for students. Please reach out to me at LEP Fitness if you would like one. Each book contains 30 tasty recipes that won’t burn a hole in your purse/wallet!
Do you have any 20-minute exercise routines that they can do at home with no equipment needed?
Yes, I have lots of different workout programs for students. It depends on your current level of fitness (so I won’t prescribe a plan here) but some great bodyweight exercises include:
Legs: squats, wall squats, lunges, split squats
Abs: crunches, sit-ups, Russian twists, planks
Upper body: push-ups, chin-ups, pull-ups
I would also recommend investing in some resistance bands (£20) – you can do hundreds of exercises with this piece of kit alone. You could also purchase some 10kg adjustable dumbbells (£25) and work out from home. The other option is to join the University gym.
When working out, do you prefer a certain style of gym wear, seamless, lightweight and breathable etc? What would you recommend?
I like to wear a tracksuit most of the time (unless it’s scorching hot!). A tracksuit is comfy, and perfect for warming up the body while looking stylish. I love the Boohooman active range…
What made you want to get into fitness? Do you have a fitness journey you’d like to share with us?
I originally got into fitness to improve my ice hockey performance. Then at the age of 17, I moved from sports to looking good. I was super skinny (9 stone) and have bulked up to 14 stone. I didn’t like being the skinny kid and felt very unconfident taking my top off on the beach. So I started to train to improve my confidence.
The impact this had on my life was enormous, so I decided to help other people do the same. I got into 1-1 personal training (competed in over 12,000 coaching sessions) but now my main work is online coaching – I help people all over the world to achieve their dream physique, but most importantly to use their physical transformation to improve all areas of life (social, relationships, financial, etc). When you take care of your mind and body everything else improves.
Lastly, what’s your favourite exercise to do at home or at the gym?
Chin-ups!
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