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5 Tips To Stay Fit During the Summer

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

As a former high school athlete I never truly struggled with staying fit simply because I was always active between practices, open gyms, and camps. I played both volleyball and basketball for the last 4+ years but since the season has ended I’ve made it a point to try and stay in shape. Without sports I had to find a way to stay healthy and fit on my own. I’ll be sharing some tips that I find helpful for the upcoming summer.

Find a type of workout you love/ Explore

There are so many ways to workout: cardio, weight lifting, pilates, etc. Explore different styles of working out to find what fits you best. It is also very common to switch what you do if you are not enjoying it anymore. For example I was really into at home YouTube video workouts for a while and then transitioned to weightlifting which I found to like better. It’s all about preference. Find what makes you want to workout. Once you find what works best for you…

Create a fitness routine

As a former athlete I am very used to “working out” from 4-6 (after school) for 5 days a week. I continued to do this because I found that it worked the best for my body. I didn’t want to workout early in the morning or late at night and I didn’t want to work out directly after a meal. Some people do better in the morning while others thrive in the evening. Find what works best for you. In addition to creating a schedule, create your personalized routine. For example Monday=Upper body, Tuesday=Core, Wednesday=Cardio, Thursday=Lower body, Friday=Full body or some variation tailored to you. Having a routine will help you stay consistent and allow you to dive right in.

Minimize the thought process

This may seem weird at first but don’t overthink it. You don’t need to always have a super intense sweaty workout to stay in shape. Unless you have large fitness goals it’s okay to not go to the gym or even workout everyday. Having an active lifestyle change will help you stay in shape and maintain your body. Going on a walk, or swimming, maybe playing some basketball really any physical activity will help you stay in shape. In this society everyone is trying to lose weight or have crazy fitness goals but simple changes to one’s mindset can turn the “burden” of workout out into a fun activity. One of my favorite ways to be active without necessarily working out is riding bikes with my little brothers. I know that some people don’t want to go around riding bikes but this is a perfect example of just getting outside and doing something fun.

Have a goal

Having a fitness goal will keep you motivated. I’m not going to lie, motivation is one of the hardest parts of staying in shape. There are many ways to create a fitness goal you could aim for consistency for example: I want to do something active 6 times a week. You could do a number oriented goal: I want to lift this much weight by a blank amount of time or I want to run a mile in under this amount of time something like that. I would recommend straying from weight oriented goals (losing/gaining weight) because at least for me it can be very discouraging, weight fluctuates so much even day to day. It can be hard to not focus on the number and progress so don’t make losing or gaining weight a huge priority if you’re trying to stay fit.

Focus on your diet

If you listen to any fitness influencer they will always tell you that what you eat has more to do with fitness than working out. Now I am not saying go on some weird crazy diet but being mindful of what you put into your body goes a long way. This plays into your mindset of staying fit as well. Being mindful of when you’re full is important, understanding that your body may crave certain things and it’s okay to give in to those cravings and over all being aware what types of foods you’re eating. We all know that eating whole foods with nutrients is better than processed meals however a healthy combination of both will leave you more fulfilled mentally and physically. All in all, eat foods that make you feel strong and energized and relish in the not so healthy food from time to time.

I wanted to include a part where I say I am not a doctor or nutritionist, simply a teenage girl trying to share how she stays fit. This is NOT professional tips or advice. With that being said I hope you enjoyed and can stay healthy throughout the summer. Good luck! With love..

-Nikki Smith

Successful Morning Routine for High School Students

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

So you want to have a productive morning that sets you up for a great day at school. Though it may be challenging to get “excited” to go to school there are still ways to make the most out of your day. Being a successful high school student will help you tremendously when going into college or entering the workforce. We live in a world where you need to hustle and be the best at what you do in order to be successful. Knowing that you’re reading this means that you are ready to work hard and achieve great things. Being in high school you’re faced with many challenges juggling sports, clubs, maybe a job, on top of your schoolwork all while trying to maintain a social life. This on its own is a lot and can get stressful so here are some tips that will lead you to having a great start to the day and successful high school experience from a graduating senior.

Get up early

People who get an early start to their day are going to be more productive. Starting fresh and awake is a great way to get going and start working hard. Of course even if you wake up early you can’t be fully operational without a full night’s rest at least 7-8 hours worth. If you are a person that takes a bit to get moving in the morning like me. I suggest setting yourself up for success the night before. This means laying out the clothes you’re going to wear, packing your backpack, making your to-do list or checking your calendar to see what all is planned for the upcoming day. This is great because all you simply have to do when you wake up in the morning is get ready and go. 

In addition to waking up early it is also important to make your bed. We have all heard time and time again that making your bed sets you up for a productive day. You’ve already accomplished the first task of the day. So just take the two minutes in the morning to set up your bed. This will also help you not get back into bed once you’re up and moving in the morning.

Stay Hydrated

Water is essential to basically everything, let’s be honest. I’m not saying it’s a cure all but most people are dehydrated which leads to drowsiness, headaches, and irritability. It’s very hard to work past a headache and the fact that you’re tired when trying to go on with your day. So get yourself a cute water bottle and get to it. I personally carry my hydrojug with me wherever I go. I have been religiously drinking water for about a year now and I can’t tell you how much it has improved my mood, body and overall health. I know that for a lot of people drinking water can be hard so my suggestion is to get a flavoring of some sort that is low in sugar and dyes so that you can still be hydrated. I recommend the MiO drops because there are a lot of different flavors and many sugar free options. 

Check Schedule/To Do List 

In high school there is always a lot going on so you want to make sure you know what you need to be doing and when. People (meaning colleges) like people that are dependable, active and involved but you should be doing activities because you genuinely enjoy them not because it “looks good”. When you are involved in many organizations it can get busy so making sure that you know when meetings, activities, and other projects are due will help you in preparation as well as help not forget anything important.

It is equally important to stay on top of school work. Being a great high school student starts outside of the classroom. You could be the smartest person in a room but if you have no drive you’re not going to go very far. So in order to stay on top of assignments it’s best to create a calendar/planner with due dates as well as plan out when you are going to do certain tasks. For example, my hardest class requires me to write an essay every week that is due on Sundays. I know that my most productive day is Monday because it is the start of the week. I am refreshed and ready to work so I make sure to get 85% of the essay done on Mondays so that the rest of the week all I have to do is revise and add citations. However my easiest class only requires me to write a discussion post with 200 words and that assignment is usually due on Thursdays. Because I know that I can do the discussion post rather quickly and with less effort I would still work on the essay assignment on Monday even though the due date for the discussion post is earlier. You have to take into account your productivity levels and the amount of work you’re going to need to put into something rather than working by what’s due earlier. 

Eat Breakfast

I know I know. Everyone always says to eat breakfast but there is a reason for that. Eating breakfast is what gets you moving and grooving. Food is what gives your body energy so how do you expect to be productive when you’re running on a low battery? Have you ever noticed that when your phone is on 5% everything is loading a lot slower or maybe even glitching? It’s the same thing for you so make sure to get a healthy nutritious breakfast in so you can have a great day. Here are some ideas for quick breakfast meals for high school students. https://positivelynikki.com/2023/04/14/5-healthy-breakfast-ideas-for-high-school-students/

Keynote

Allow Time For Socializing

This is one of the hardest things to do for a high school student looking to do the best they possibly can. Getting overly caught up in school and related activities isolates you from your friends and enjoying your high school experiences. Balance is a hard thing to find as a student because you are often faced with making choices between hanging out with friends or getting school work done. Sometimes you’re going to be a great student and get everything done and some days you’re going to be a great friend. Some people say you can’t have both but I really disagree. Working hard will be so rewarding in the future but you’ll never get the chance to sit with your friends at your favorite hangout place again. Making memories is what future you will look back on so make time to have fun, let loose and have great experiences. Even though that balance is hard to find and most weeks you’ll be off in one way or the other as long as you finish your high school experience accomplishing the goals you set out for as well as taking amazing memories with you, what more can you really ask for? High school is only four years so enjoy it. 

That’s all I have for you guys. I hope this helped you in some shape or form as you tackle the obstacle that is highschool. The hustle is real but once you start to enjoy the journey there is no better feeling. Thank you for reading.

-Nikki Smith

The Importance of Mindset

Nikki SmithLeave a comment

Getting into a good mindset can be difficult so I wanted to share tips to improve how you view situations. Having a good mindset is wildly important to your growth and development as a person. Improving your mindset starts with a few simple tasks. I recently found that your perspective has everything to do with how you react to situations which is why I wanted to share some helpful tips and a few things to remember as you prepare for this crazy thing called life. Starting with… 

Declutter your mind

Yes as silly as this may sound it is really easy to become overwhelmed with everything you have going on even though it is nothing you can’t handle. When we keep everything bottled up inside we are more irritable and unable to fully enjoy things. A great way to relieve all those emotions and thoughts you’ve been keeping inside is writing it all down. Take a piece of paper, it can be anything; a sticky note, notebook paper or the back of an envelope and write down every little thing that you have been thinking about recently. These could be simple tasks you need to do like laundry, dishes, etc., bills you have to pay, an assignment you have to write, or even emotional events (funerals, weddings, baby on the way) truly anything. Once you get all of that down on paper I want you to take a good look at all the things you wrote. This allows you to not only visualize but allows your mind to focus on your top priorities. Writing all your thoughts down can help you organize the importance and significance of each item to the point where you can really focus on your top priorities. Centering your focus on the top items in your list is so beneficial because if you’re like me, it’s easy to become overloaded and feel like your mind is going a million miles a minute. This process lets you take a step back to really see what all you have going on.  Prioritizing the top of your list will allow you to feel more at ease as you tackle each obstacle.

Growth mindset

A growth mindset allows you to learn from mistakes instead of dwelling on them. Often we tend to only see what we are doing wrong. We really are our own worst critics. We are naturally always trying to better ourselves so if something doesn’t work out that’s okay don’t let that stop you from trying. Just because you didn’t succeed in the past doesn’t mean you won’t succeed now. As we grow and change we are better equipped to adapt to new and familiar situations so give it another shot. I find it hard to accept failure which is what led me to this point of view. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAILURE, there is only success and growth. Now this doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be disappointed or angry when something doesn’t go how you wanted. But it’s an opportunity to accept and reflect on what you did so that you can either change your actions/decisions in the future or come to terms with your faults so that you don’t dwell on them. This may sound cheesy but it really is true. I find that in everything I do I continue to learn and grow from that experience. When confronted with challenges and new opportunities we falter or rise and within that understanding the Why? or How? Is essential in continuing to gain success. I challenge you to accept faults that may occur not as excuses for being upset but as opportunities to learn and grow. 

Set intentions

Goals are a big part of our lives. We all have many goals that we are striving to achieve. Everyone wants to feel accomplished which is great but we also want to set intentions for the year. How do you want the year to feel? What are you going to focus on the most this year? What sources of happiness are you planning to take with you? These are all questions you should ask yourself all the time. I know we all want to feel accomplished which includes completing those new year resolutions, life goals, bucket list items, and aspirations but we need to keep in mind our happiness. We often set materialistic goals or goals measured through productivity. For example a popular materialistic goal would be traveling and a popular productivity goal would be weight loss or saving up money. However I don’t see very many people say I want to bring more happiness to others, or I want to do more things that push me outside my comfort zone. So take a look at the goals you’ve created and maybe add a couple new ones. Becoming the best people we can be is so fulfilling but just like anything it takes work. 

Calming the chaos

The number one priority should always be to take care of yourself because if you can’t do that you’re not going to be happy with 1. Yourself and 2. Anybody else. Life is filled with stressful situations that are going to test your limits and be so mentally draining, however it is up to you to push through the hard times so you can enjoy the good times. I hate to be obvious but the number one thing you can do to calm the chaos is allow yourself to do something you enjoy. Yes it really is that simple. This could be reading a book, watching a movie, sleeping in, having a spa day, putting in a hair mask, unplugging from social media. Anything you enjoy that will make you happy and allow you to destress. That’s the number one priority: your happiness and being content with yourself. Mentally preparing yourself for high stress situations is also important. Plan time to relax, watch your comfort show, read a book, something that allows you to slow down and be calm. I want you to remember though that if you decide to destress with a movie you can’t be constantly thinking about the huge presentation you have coming up and all the tasks you need to do to prepare for it. The only time you are going to feel at ease is if you focus on one thing and enjoy that feeling. We live in a world that is always hustling so many of us don’t understand what it’s truly like to fully relax; to set aside all that worry, anxiety and stress. You can’t live up to who you truly can be if you don’t take care of yourself and this is different for everyone. Being happy starts from within. 


That’s all I have for you guys today. I hope this helped you in some shape or form when it comes to your outlook on life. Take these tips and try to find all those positive things in your life. Hope you enjoyed!

-Nikki Smith