As the month of January is now over, so are a lot of people’s New Year's resolutions. I won’t lie to you, as someone who goes to the gym every day, lighter crowds are a blessing. As the “New Years Resolution” crowd starts to dwindle, your luck on finding an open machine increases tremendously. No more casually stalking the person who looks the most over-worked in hopes of pouncing on their treadmill as soon as they get off, because all of the other machines are full.

However, even though the New Year's crowd at the gym is annoying, it is great to see so many people taking charge of their health. The reason that I go to the gym every day is so I can stay on top of both my physical and mental health. Most people just think about working out for their physical health, but don’t see the amazing benefits of working out for their mental health as well.

As someone who played sports all throughout high school, I was used to having practice every day after school and constantly getting in that exercise. However, it wasn’t until I got to college that I realized it was also what was helping me manage the stress of taking advanced classes, dealing with friendships and maintaining my everyday life. In college, everyone is so busy with school and stressed out that they think eating healthier and skipping the gym will be a fine lifestyle. In reality, working out is one of the best stress relievers out there.

According to the American Psychological Association, 63 percent of people say that exercise is a good way to manage stress and 53 percent of adults say they felt better about themselves after working out. Also, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that exercise is a great way to treat anxiety disorders. See? It is a proven fact that exercise can help with your mental health.

I challenge all of you reading this to take charge of your mental and physical health and try and get to the gym more often. You can start slow by going two or three days a week, and building up from there. Trust me, once you get in the habit of going regularly you won’t want to stop. For me, working out puts me in a great mood and I always feel so good after.

Check out some of my tips below for ways to make going to the gym fun.

1. Grab a friend or a group of friends.

Going by yourself to the gym can be a little intimidating, so grab a friend and become workout buddies. This makes you accountable on days you feel like sleeping in.

2. Make it a date.

Start off your day by texting your gym buddy and scheduling a time to go. Once you have made a specific plan you are way less likely to want to cancel on the other person.

3. Make a killer playlist and switch it up every once in a while.

You know those songs that always put a smile on your face and get you moving when they come on? Put those on a workout playlist and it will distract you from what you’re actually doing and make it seem super fun. However when a song starts to get old, switch up the playlist to keep the music pumped up.

4. Take a class.

I’ll admit, it took me a good three semesters before I made it to one of the many free classes offered at my campus recreation center. That being said, I love going now. At least once a week I attend DAZE at my campus recreation center, which is a cardio dance class. They play upbeat and fun music from artists like Justin Beiber and Nicki Manaj, so you get in a great workout while just dancing and having fun.