The college student workout... HELP!

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Yikes! I'm reading the boards and I'm in awe at the motivation you guys have to work out! It's awesome!

I'm a nursing student (aka sleep and free time deprived) who is also involved in a lot of clubs, all of which require a decent amount of time. I'm currently at 145 lbs (according to the bf's scale haha) and would like to ideally be down to 120, but am currently shooting for the 125-130 range.

Often times I don't get to the workout room until 10pm, and I don't want to spend more then an hour there. This includes cardio and weights that I plan on doing.

Currently I do the elliptical on the weight loss setting (33 minutes) and then do weights (switch every day between arms and legs) and do abs everyday. It gets monotonous, but I'm not nearly in shape enough to run yet.

What are some workouts I can do in an hour or less that will keep me from being bored (or atleast not completely bored) and keep the calorie burn high?

Also, I know it's the wrong section, but any food tips for eating healthy on caf. food would be awesome too :)

Replies

  • littlelionesslove
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    Jump rope...the higher you jump the more calories you burn! It can be fun especially if you do it to some music!
  • EDBENAGLIO
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    GET A HRM AND USE IT TO MAKE SURE YOUR HEART RATE IS UP AS LONG AS POS. I AM LOSSING ABOUT 10% MORE WITH IT
  • aferbet
    aferbet Posts: 124
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    Look into finding a Zumba class that you could fit in to your schedule once or twice a week. Zumba is FUN and generally you will burn at least 500 cals or better in an hour. If you have access to the Kinect for Xbox they make a Zumba game that is a lot of fun too!

    And Yay for nursing students!!! I'm a nurse...it's tough to fit in a good workout with the crazy schedules. Keep up the good work!
  • Michaelbrodsky
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    Try listening to books on tape while you work out. I swim about 40 minutes a day. Until I got myself a water proof iPod I couldn't stay in the water I was bored. Now I get into the book I'm listening to and it keeps me swimming.
  • sarglava
    sarglava Posts: 206 Member
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    I'm also a college student (biology) so I use all my extra time trying to work my muscles. This is probably obvious but when I'm walking to class I just try to walk faster. If I'm going upstairs I'll raise my legs higher for each step. Anything helps.
    As for gym workouts I try to rotate between elliptical, fast walking (I'm so not a runner) on a treadmill, and stationary cycling. It's much easier if I bring study material or even a magazine with me. I can go for twice as long with a good magazine and some workout tunes.
  • Ryansmommy
    Ryansmommy Posts: 1 Member
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    I do Jazzercise and its awesome. I schedule it like an appointment. Its so fun that I look forward to it everyday and cant wait to go.
    The classes are an hour long and most centers have classes throughout the day. :smile:
  • blueeyeddragon2115
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    For cardio... Rollerblading and swimming. Great calorie burn.
  • dacrowe
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    Hello fellow college student :),
    If you're interested in running (some people despise it--if you're one of these people just ignore this!) a great way to work your way into running is to run/walk on the treadmill. I like to walk for 5 minutes at a high incline, then switch to a jog at a lower incline for 5 minutes, walk for 5, run for 5, switching back and forth as many times as you like. I usually walk at a 7% incline and run at a 1.5% incline. It was a great way to work my way back into running when I was WAY out of shape--hope it works for you too!
  • AmeMahoney
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    I'd split your weight workouts up more. Just doing arms and legs isn't that great. You also need to hit your chest, shoulders, and back. You can do a workout for each group of muscles that takes 45 minutes to an hour 4 or 5 days a week and do cardio the other two. You don't need to do cardio too much - you are already at such a good weight that it would be more beneficial to do more weights so you don't lose muscle from too much cardio. There's nothing that says you have to run.

    You didn't give your height, but 120 is probably too low. I'm 5' 5.5" and at 135 I'm a size 6, sometimes a 4 because muscle weighs more than fat. Even at 152 my size 8's are still loose.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    Oh, I know all about the BSN program lifestyle... It's where I gained a lot of my weight. Lol.

    Honestly, if you're already using an elliptical to fit into your limited schedule, scratch the "weight loss" program, and manually set it yourself to a higher resistance and try to amp up the speed at which you're doing it. It incorporates the use of HIIT routines in an elliptical workout. Go as hard as you can for 1 - 2 minutes, then recover at a moderate pace and resistance for about the same amount of time, then repeat that same process for about 15 - 20 minutes. It'll jack up your HR somethin' fierce, and get you into a higher calorie burn rate. Plus, the increased resistance/intensity couples as a strength training session for your legs. Keeping proper form and posture, by keeping your abs taut [not constantly fully flexed], will add a bit more to a whole body routine. Throw in some random moments where you're using your arms to propel yourself as well for some upper body. At the end, do a 10 minute recovery cool-down at a moderate pace with lower resistance.

    The strength training routines that you do, can become mundane as you do the same ones over and over, therefore your body will be used to them and your metabolism will burn calories a little less efficiently. Keeping in mind muscle confusion and increased intensity, you could try switching up the weights you do and at different speeds and reps that you do them after each set. For abs, go between slow, controlled movements and fast, rapid ones. For example, doing prison push-ups, after each push-up, do a knee thrust after each one, and you can incorporate an ab routine while toning your triceps and chest.

    All in all, the best way to maximize short workouts is to make them as grueling as possible, to the best of your abilities. The results show just as fast as you can increase intensity. Hope that helps. And good luck with Nursing.
  • esthertsivia
    esthertsivia Posts: 32 Member
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    I am a senior in college and I work an average of maybe 25 hours a week...so I feel your pain.
    I go to my local women's gym. They have classes that last 45 minutes. In an average class, I believe I burn 500-700 calories (just got a heart rate monitor last week, so not sure yet). They are fun because of the variety of classes and within the classes itself, plus you sort of have a motivation team. I go to classes like kickboxing, triple fat burner, high intensity interval training, etc.

    In addition, I have recently started using workout videos. Exercise TV has videos online for free. I prefer the biggest loser dvd I just got at walmart for $10. They have a bunch of different ones and there are levels.
    Weeks 1-2 has 5 min warmup, 20 min cardio 1, 5 minute yoga stretch
    weeks 3-4 has that plus a 10 minute cardio 2
    weeks 5-6 has that plus a 10 minute cardio 3
    I just did weeks 5-6 (like an hour ago) and it took about 52 minutes. But weeks 1-2 is only about 30 minutes, 3-4 is about 40 (obviously lol).
    This was good because being busy, I didn't have to take out the time to drive to and from the gym (15 mins each way) and could work on my own schedule. I wore my heart rate monitor, and in the 52 minutes I burned 653 calories!
  • WendyLandia83
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    soooo crazy! i do the SAME workout in the morning.. and i also need diff techniques to workout.. i am afraid i will get stuck on a weight... and not loose any. i need to workout my arms,gluteous and STOMACH ... my legs are the first thing you notice when i start working out.... i wanna do ZUMBA... but my gym has LATIN HEAT , which is the same.... so i need to try that for the wknds.... i think maybe if you walk in the evenings.. or mornings... on the wknds... any kind of dance... that makes it fun! i heard cycling burns tons of calories! i always see people all tired HEHE good luck with the Nursing Field! i am in the teaching field :)
    Wendy
  • BSN2Be
    BSN2Be Posts: 23
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    Thanks a lot guys! I'll take some of your tips and try them out!

    To the person wondering about my height, I'm 5'1
  • dancinblonde0099
    dancinblonde0099 Posts: 118 Member
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    I have just stuck to my callorie intake according to MFP and workout on the Elliptical and i have lost 12lbs in 6 weeks. Just saying, it's what has been working for me. I just love my elliptical! Good luck!