As all, if not most, college students know, it’s that working out and your health takes the back burner during the stress filled school year. You are exhausted from pulling all-nighters, endless amounts of homework, crappy school food, and partying on the weekends. All of your motivation to workout dwindles as the stress increases. What most of us forget is that working out actually helps you manage your stress, sleep better, and become more organized. Not only will working out do all of those great things but you also gain self-confidence because you look and feel good.

As the New Year rolls around we all plan out our New Year Resolutions. Most of those include going on a diet or sticking to a workout regimen. I have complied a list of 5 things to help you stick to your New Year’s weight loss and fitness goals for 2017.

1. Find a workout buddy.

This is the most important of all of the steps on this list. Finding a workout buddy helps you to stay motivated, keep you on track, and also makes working out a lot more fun. You have someone to constantly push you, someone to lean on when you are stressed and tired, and also makes going to the gym more interesting.

2. Design a workout regimen that fits your schedule.

What most people forget is that being healthy does not mean working out at the gym for 2-3 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can still maintain a healthy lifestyle by trying to working out one hour a day, 3-4 times a week. Do yourself a favor and build your workout right into your weekly planner.

3. Sign up for workout classes.

I am not sure if this goes for all universities or community colleges, but a lot of the time the fitness centers offer fun workout classes to take that range from yoga to hard core cardio. By signing up for these classes ahead of time it forces you to stick to the plan and not skimp out of your training regimen; especially if signing up requires you to pay ahead of time. You do not want to waste your money, we are all broke college students here.

4. Track your progress.

By taking pictures and tracking your progress you will be able to actually see the results you are making with your training. This will help you see that working out is making a difference and that you are actually getting somewhere. By doing this it will increase your motivation to continue working out to see how much you can accomplish.

5. Stay positive.

There are going to be times when getting yourself to the gym and running in the winter feels like an insurmountable task. It’s important to remain positive because even though you may have a bad day or two, in the long run it will all be worth it. And just because you miss one workout does not mean that you have failed and your week is ruined. You just have to refocus and remember why you started in the first place.