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Health and Wellness

11 Steps To Encourage Yourself to Hit the Gym

Get pumped to workout.

Lauren Hernandez

Jan 24, 2019

Purdue University

Alora Griffiths via Unsplash

Life is crazy, and finding the time to go to the gym on top of everything can be difficult. Excuses after excuses can cause us to decide to stay in and be a couch potato instead. The gym isn't as complicated as many may think. Once you start and have a consistent routine, you'll feel like a gym rat and end up loving the gym. Here are 11 steps to encourage yourself to hit the gym:

1. Change your perspective.

Having a busy life as an excuse for exercising will stop you from staying in shape. Look for inspiration to help you become more optimistic about what your fitness results could look like.

2. Develop and stick to your workout schedule.

Create an exercise program that is feasible and something you can actually commit to, even if it's just 30 minutes a day. Remember to take things one day at a time.

3. Go to a gym you like.

Feeling comfortable in your surroundings will help you become more confident in your abilities. The gym's location could affect how often you go as well.

4. Set realistic goals.

Don't be afraid to start small and build your stamina and endurance.

5. Go with a friend.

This helps make the gym seem more fun and less of a tedious task.

6. Challenge yourself

Don't stay comfortable for too long. If you're sore, your muscles are getting the workout they need. Just don't overdo it.

7. Invest in your body.

Take care of yourself and watch what you eat. Don't push yourself beyond your limits.

8. Take advantage of apps.

There are fitness apps that have so many workout routines on there; you can track your progress and set goals, and find inspiration.

9. Track your progress.

Looking back at where you started and seeing your body go under a full transformation is so gratifying.

10. Have fun and try new things.

You need change and variety to stay motivated. Switching up your workout routine also challenges your body in unique ways and helps engage various muscles.

11. Reward yourself.

Cheat days are worth it- once you put in the hard work, you can splurge a little and not feel as guilty.

"The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit." – Morihei Ueshiba

Things I Am Actually Going To Do This Semester

Or at least try to do.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

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CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

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For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

Southwestern University

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And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

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You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

Michigan State University

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December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

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Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals

The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.

University of Vermont

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Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.

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28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

Kennesaw State University

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Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.