It starts the minute you see marble notebooks, hardcover binders and glue sticks hit store shelves: The reality that summer is winding down and school is almost in session. In other words, total chaos.
If you’re a parent or guardian of school-aged kids, you know how precious your time becomes.
You have to get the kids up and ready, to and from school. Maybe you’re the official lunch packer or homework helper. There are science fairs to attend and softball uniforms to wash. (Did you know nearly 90% percent of surveyed parents have enrolled their children in extracurricular activities!?) Oh, and perhaps you work full-time too.
It’s.. a lot. But it’s also all the more reason why you shouldn’t let the back-to-school season de-prioritize your own goals—especially your fitness goals. Read on for details and advice.
Benefits of Incorporating Orangetheory into Your Back-to-School Routine
First and foremost, if that paragraph above stressed you out, you’re not alone. Research shows that back-to-school season is often the most stressful time of year for parents, with nearly 9 in 10 parents with children reporting increased stress or anxiety.
Know what helps with stress and anxiety? Yep, getting under those orange lights. The mental health benefits of an Orangetheory workout are invaluable—and so are the physical health benefits. Take a look:
- Just 150 minutes of heart-pumping exercise every week (three Orangetheory classes!), can lower your risk of experiencing depression and anxiety by 20%, according to The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
- Research has shown that physical activity can be as effective as prescription sleep meds, per the Cleveland Clinic.
- And, you already know this! Exercise can improve fatigue, energy, and vitality. AKA, everything you need to manage the demands of school season.
Why Orangetheory is Perfect for Busy Parents
Whether you’re new to Orangetheory or an existing member who could use a good refresher, here’s what you need to know: Orangetheory is all about flexibility and efficiency.
- You’ve got options: Our signature one-hour (Orange 60) workouts and the 50-minute (Strength50 + Tread50) workout options are perfect for busy parents (and students!).
- You’ve got the app: No need to call to book, reschedule or cancel a class. With just a few taps, the official Orangetheory app lets you manage your schedule, making it easy to fit workouts into a busy day.
- You’ve got At-Home videos: Can’t make it to a studio today? No problem. Follow a 25-minute guided workout from our video library or use your heart rate monitor to track your own 5-minute yoga sesh.
Tips for Making Orangetheory a Consistent Part of Your Back-to-School Schedule
The OTF world is full of parents and guardians who do their best to show up for themselves. Here is some of their advice:
“I integrate Orangetheory Fitness into my back-to-school routine by focusing on consistency and connectivity. I attend classes at the same time each week, which allows me to get to know the regular attendees. This helps build camaraderie and makes me excited to see my fellow classmates and coaches. Additionally, I pre-book my classes to increase the likelihood of attending because I don't want to pay the late cancel fee.” - Nisheena Clemons of Atlanta Georgia.
“Being comfortable that you don’t have as much personal time and must be flexible to schedule changes is important. Missing an OTF workout you were looking forward to can become a downward spiral of negativity. With that said, scheduling and working out early in the morning gives you more control.” - Jerry Ratigan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“I get my things ready the night before, go to bed at a decent hour and go first thing in the morning. If I miss a morning, I will go in the evening after dinner. In the scheme of things, an hour out of my day does not take anything away from my work/family load, and it helps me feel like a better mom. I have more to pour into my family's cups when mine is full!” - Heather Fidler of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
How Orangetheory Supports Your Back-to-School Fitness Goals
Ask your kids what their goals are for the year ahead: become class president, score an A in physics, join a new club? Then share yours. Because whatever your goals for fitness are, Orangetheory’s tools, structure and coaches can help you achieve them. How?
- Customizable workouts. OTF works for everyone, no matter your fitness or ability level. Whether your goal is to lift heavier, improve your cardiovascular health or simply stay active, our coaches are here to support you with personalized options. If you’re recovering from an injury, same thing. Our workouts always come with modifications, and our certified coaches are happy to adjust your hour as needed.
- Progress tracking. Seeing how you’re improving can be just as exciting as reaching that end goal. In class and at home, your heart rate monitor is full of data. And in your app, you can compare year-over-year when it comes to signature workouts and benchmarks. (By the way, when you do PR, let your coach get out the Brag Board and snap a pic!).
- Annual events. When everyone in class has a goal, it makes it so much easier (and more fun) to work toward yours. Read about our DriTri, for example. Or Hell Week, a member favorite.
Joining the Orangetheory Fitness Community
Back-to-school season—and let’s face it, every season—comes with its own stressors, to-dos and obstacles. And we could go on about the benefits of exercise and consistency. But ask any OTF member and we bet they’d say it’s the community aspect that keeps them coming back.
There’s something about high fiving the person next to you and having others cheer you on that you can’t quite get elsewhere. Connecting with other members, with the coaches and with the front desk staff can do wonders for your mindset.
Every class is kind of like a big school group project—except, for once, everyone is doing their part and everyone gets an A. 😉
Ready to make this school year your healthiest and most energized yet? Find an Orangetheory Fitness studio near you and start your journey today!
About the Author
Melissa Fiorenza is a New York-based journalist who covers fitness, mental health, nutrition, lifestyle, and women's issues. Her work has been featured on outlets like Eat This, Not That!; Health; Prevention; Best Life; Cosmopolitan; and Time Out. Melissa is also an award-winning copywriter, content strategist, and marketer, and in 2012, she published her first book, Twentysomething Girl.
