How to be fit "the Professor Way"

Going inside the classroom, you feel all your students’ eyes laid on you. All the attention directed on every action you do. As you start delivering your carefully prepared lecture, you sense that some of them are smiling and giggling. Is it because they like the lesson? Or is it because they see the bulges in your huge waistline?

This is a common dilemma that most professors face especially when they start acquiring those unwanted fats. In the kind of profession where attention is a huge factor, you wouldn’t want to distract your students by giving them another focus of concentration.
Your health would also be at risk once you start neglecting your diet. Your self-esteem would be shaken at the same time. These things could totally hamper your goals as a dedicated educator.
So how do you handle this kind of situation? Mr. Christopher P. Olarte, a part time assistant lecturer in the Physical Education Department of De La Salle University, suggests three simple ways:


1) Exercise during your free time. Though it is extremely tempting to spend the whole day sleeping or going out with friends when you don’t have work, you should remember that your health is a significant investment for your job. A professor should avoid being absent for class. So spend your day wisely by allotting at least 30 minutes of exercise. After warming up for 5 minutes, start with cardio-exercises then proceed to specialized work-outs to trigger specific locations such as your arms and thighs. Advisable routines would include jogging, sit-ups and push-ups. Finish the exercise with another 5 minutes of cooling down.


2) Exercise during work. The saying that goes, “if there’s a will, there’s a way” applies even to this kind of situation. You can be the fit professor you want wherever you are and whenever you want. All you have to do is be innovative and adjust your routines based on your location. Work with what you have around you. In your office, you can do stationary lunges and arm dips.


• A stationary lunge is done by striding one leg forward from a standing position. Bend the forwarded leg while keeping the other leg straight. Maintain a straight posture for your upper body as well. You can further enhance this routine by holding dumbbells or bottled water on both hands and lifting them alternately.


• An arm dip is done using a bench or a chair. Do the ‘sitting position’ with your body in front of the chair facing the same direction. Place your palms on the edge of the chair then start pushing yourself up and down with your arms bending (as if an inverted push-up). You can increase the level of difficulty by positioning both feet farther from the feet of the chair.


Mr. Olarte further adds that it also helps if the professor will continue to be mobile instead of just sitting while discussing lessons.


3) Eat on time. Being fit doesn’t mean depriving yourself from the delicious menu in the cafeteria. What you have to focus on is eating just the right amount at the right time. Avoid eating too much in between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our body has its way of burning unnecessary fats. But if we eat too often, the fats get stuck in certain places in our body. Thus, creating unwanted bulges.


Touching the lives of the students is one of the ultimate goals every professor wants to accomplish. This is not impossible. But it certainly entails hard work. You can be the most unforgettable professor not because of how funny you look but because of how pleasant you are inside and out. So the next time you see you student flashing a smile on you, who knows? Maybe he/she just appreciates how beautiful/handsome you are.