STORY AND PHOTOS BY DYLAN PASLEY
It is the beginning of week five and you are putting on your favourite pair of jeans. They’re a little bit tighter than they should be. Then you recall how you have been eating burgers at the caf and drinking beer at the campus pubs. It’s at that moment you realize you need to start taking better care of yourself and start hitting the gym.
The good news is for Sheridan students, is that it’s never been easier or (cheaper) to get fit.
Working out at Sheridan’s gym is a great way to start your journey to get back into your favourite pair of jeans. There is a gym at each campus and it is free for full-time students. Campus gyms offer weights, treadmills and ellipticals. At Trafalgar there’s also a squash court. The gym even hosts intramural sports and classes such as pilates, spinning and yoga classes.
“A great way to workout is to find something that you enjoy doing,” said Nadene Boothe, a Sheridan fitness coordinator. “I personally will go to the weight room, then run on a treadmill. Then I will play a sport, something where I get to interact with other people.”
Sheridan first-year Illustration student Adrien Green always brings along his friends when he works out.
“The trick is having friends to go with you to keep you motivated,” said Green. He also says to “stay hydrated and take it in strides.”
Chris Robertson who works at Oakville Naturopathic Wellness Centre says working out is not about a “cookie cutter” routine it is about the individual, their goals and good nutrition.
“Every individual is a unique person and they have different goals and targets,” said Robertson.
The centre combines naturopathic medicine with workouts to increase their patients’ overall health. They use techniques like massage therapy, live blood microscopy and acupuncture.
The most important thing to do when you are trying to lose weight is to eat healthier, said Robertson.
“People don’t realize how important diet is,” he said. “I always said I could get someone in the gym that is eating poorly and run them into the ground, but all they’re doing is running still.”
Art Fundamental student Amy Cannon makes sure she only eats organic food. Her tip for getting healthy and losing weight is to eat smaller portions.
“For eating healthy, I would just eat smaller portions more often than eating fewer bigger meals,” said Cannon.
Robertson recommends finding out what workout or food plan is best for you and stick with it.
“Ideally the best thing you can do is find the nutritional guideline that works best for you and implemented”