10) Dance it out at a music festival
If you’re going to be drinking this summer, why not work off those empty calories with a night of dancing and moving? Instead of sitting in a basement or at a booth in a bar, get your feet moving and work up a sweat. There are tons of music festivals, concerts and events scheduled all across Canada to dance to.
9) Stop judging and actually go to a class
Instead of making fun of those people in fitness studios at your gym, why not join in with the hilarity? Sure, you might not be an expert at first, but no one is. In fact, the only person who knows what they’re doing is the person instructing. Don’t let the fear of looking silly stop you from getting a really, really good work out.
8) Find support in numbers
Find one, two — heck, even ten — people to be your “workout buddy” for the summer. Having a jog date will give you and your friends something else to talk about aside from summer gossip. Also if you’re extremely competitive, that might give you the extra push to run that extra mile.
7) Realize summer is “limited edition”
You only get four full months of absolute freedom, so take advantage of the fact that you’re young, healthy and are able to run outside in shorts. Stop being a generation cliché wasting your summer behind a computer screen.
6) Get active at work
There are many summer jobs that don’t require you to stand still in a mall or office all day. If you like the outdoors vibe, try working in fields such as landscaping, construction, summer camps or even fitness instruction. Working on your feet and with your hands might give you more of a workout than Zumba ever could.
5) Pencil in a workout each day
Now that you’re no longer obliged to go to your 8:30 a.m. class, this is a perfect time slot for you to schedule in some serious sweat sessions. It might feel horrible at first, but your body will eventually become accustomed to exercising at a certain time and eventually start to crave it.
4) Take it outside
Your parents said it to you when you were a kid and we’re telling you now: go outside. Studies are now showing that people who spend more time outdoors have more energy and a willingness to get active. On a beautiful day, why not go for a run, take your dog for a walk or go on a nature hike? That extra step outside your front door will make use of the nice weather Canada has.
3) Try out a new sport or activity
Activities such as kickboxing and hot yoga are super popular right now and many cities are opening studios with cheap summer packages. Learning something foreign to you will work muscles you never knew you had.
2) Join a summer “beer league”
If you’re one of those people who prefer to get their workout through a sport, then a beer league is your new best friend. There are literally hundreds of community-offered organizations that absolutely love the energy that students bring to the summer. Bonus: cold shots at half time.
1) Set an athletic goal for yourself
We get about four solid months off from school, so why not try and achieve something you had always wanted to but never had the time? Whether it’s shedding a few pounds, building strength or toning up, let this summer be your opportunity to reach new lengths. Four months: what are you going to achieve?