We believe physical activity and exercise are vital to the well-being of every person. Here in Campus Recreation, we are actively working on virtual opportunities which will allow our #ActiveILLINI to access the resources they need to thrive in the classroom and in life. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have thoughts on how to help the Campus Rec community stay connected or ideas for resources we can provide during this time.

It’s a little hard to believe it has been almost eight weeks since we were able to gather together at Campus Recreation facilities. With virtual programming set to continue into Summer Session I, our collective drive to stay active at home has become a sustained effort (a marathon rather than a sprint, if you will). And as any marathon runner knows, pacing yourself is a key to success. Here are some tips for keeping yourself on track and sustaining your efforts over the long haul:

• Know when to take a break. While it’s important to find a fitness routine that works for you, it’s also important to know when to adapt that routine to meet yourself where you are on any given day. Not feeling your best? It’s ok to forgo that high-intensity workout you had planned and find a gentler activity (or no activity at all). Becoming attuned to what your body needs will serve you well long-term.
• See each day as a fresh start. No matter what physical activity choices we made yesterday or last week, today is a new day with new opportunities to be active. Start each day with the simple goal of finding a bit of time to do something good for your body.
• Don’t be afraid to change what’s not working. If your exercise routine feels like punishment, odds are you may find it harder to stick to. If you find yourself postponing or avoiding a particular workout, consider swapping that session out with an activity you’d enjoy more. After all, the workouts we don’t do don’t do much for us.

This week, get to know veteran group fitness instructor, Kelsey Hassevoort!

Q: What format(s) do you teach?
A: I’m certified to teach BODYPUMP, Cycle, HIIT, and TRX.

Q: How long have you been teaching?
A: I have been a group fitness instructor for six years. I began teaching cycle classes at Campus Recreation in 2014, and have been teaching here ever since!

Q: Do you have another role at the University (e.g. student, faculty, staff)? If so, what is it? 
A: When I began working at Campus Rec, I was a PhD student in the Neuroscience Program. Since graduating in 2018, I work as a research development specialist at the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) at the University.

What motivated you to become a certified group fitness instructor?
A: I loved taking group fitness classes throughout college and relied on them to stay fit when I started graduate school. As I got to know my instructors, I realized I wanted to learn how to lead group fitness classes and help motivate others on their fitness journeys. The group fitness community is incredible, and I’m so grateful for the connections and friendships I’ve developed because of my role at Campus Rec!

Q: What is your fitness philosophy?
A: I believe that being physically active is one of the most important gifts you can give to yourself, so find activities that make you feel good and create a routine that works for you!

Q: When you’re not regularly teaching, what are the other ways you like to stay active?
A: I love being outdoors, and you can typically find me hiking, road biking, or kayaking when I’m not at the gym.

Q: When you’re not teaching your own classes, what type(s) of group fitness class(es) could we find you in?
A: I’m really into BODYCOMBAT right now. All that high-energy punching and kicking is a great stress release, and I feel so accomplished each time I master a new combination of moves!

Q: What is your favorite post-workout meal/snack?
A: I typically teach classes first thing in the morning, and love to eat homemade waffles with almond butter and fruit afterwards.

Q: Do you have a favorite source of workouts, fitness blogger, or health-related podcast that you’d recommend?
A: I’ve been trying to incorporate more yoga into my workout routine, and have been a big fan of the Yoga with Adriene and Yoga with Kassandra videos on YouTube.

Q: What is your favorite way to practice mindfulness?
A: I try to take a bit of time at the end of my day before I go to sleep to sit quietly and focus on breathing deeply. Mindfulness doesn’t always come naturally to me, but I’m working on it!

Have you set personal health and wellness goals? Are you looking for more information to help you to be well? Connecting with Campus Recreation Well-being Resources will help you stay informed about the latest wellness trends and college health and safety information. Featured topics include:

• Illness prevention
• Fitness and nutrition
• Mindfulness and Self-care
• Relationships
• Campus safety
• Financial tips
• Stress and time management
• and more!

Explore Campus Recreation Well-Being Resources

In order to continue to serve the Campus Recreation community, our group fitness instructors are offering live virtual group fitness classes and meet-ups throughout the week. These virtual workouts will be streamed via Zoom (click here to learn more about using Zoom) and offer a great way to add some exercise, routine, and social interaction to your day! Please note that this will be the last week of virtual classes and meet-ups before the start of the virtual summer schedule.

View this week's virtual class schedule: May 11 - 15

The Mayo Clinic recommends incorporating the following five elements into your regular exercise routine: aerobic activity, strength training, core exercises, balance training, and flexibility/stretching. The workout plan included below incorporates a variety of formats that will allow you to meet these goals. Just pick the combination of workouts that work for you!

View this week’s workout plan

A growing body of evidence suggests that listening to music while exercising can improve the quality of your workout.

This week’s featured playlist comes from Aimee, a 4-year veteran Les Mills instructor, certified in BodyPump, BodyStep, BodyAttack, and CXWorx. Inspired by the up-tempo tunes in this quick HIIT playlist, Aimee has crafted an accompanying 30-minute HIIT workout, so all you need to do is press ‘play’, start your timer, and go!

Aimee’s 30-minute HIIT Playlist

Aimee’s 30-minute HIIT Workout

Protein Blondie Squares

Chickpeas, also referred to as garbanzo beans, are part of the legume family and are rich in fiber and protein, as well as minerals such as iron and zinc and many B-vitamins. Getting enough protein in your diet has many benefits including:

• Improving muscle recovery and building
• Balancing your blood sugar
• Making you feel fuller for longer

Ingredients

• 1 can (400mL) cooked chickpeas
• ½ cup almond butter or peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

​Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and grease or line a 8" baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Place the chickpeas, nut butter, egg, maple syrup and half the chocolate chips into a food processor or blender and give it a blitz until smooth.
3. The batter will be thick. Pour or spoon batter into baking dish. Sprinkle with all the coconut flakes and remaining chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Let cool completely before cutting.