8 Tips On Finding Motivation To Go To The College Gym This Year

Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you are in college. After a long, tiring day of studying and listening to professors talk, you probably just want to lay down and relax. It’s completely understandable. But, considering that you are probably not being careful of what you are eating or how well you are living – and the considerable amounts of stress – you might need the gym more than you think. And it’s not just about how you look, but about how you feel.
If you are still not feeling inspired, take a look at some of our tips on how to get yourself into working out mood.

1. Do it with a friend

fitness-couple-at-gymOne of the most common reasons people avoid going to the gym is because they get bored. They either have no one to talk to or they just feel it would be strange if they went to the gym alone. If that’s one of your main fears, find a friend to go with you. You’ll be able to chat and help each other with difficult techniques. Not only that, but you’ll also keep each other in check and when one of you doesn’t feel like working out, the other can push them to go.

Everything is better if you have someone to do it with you – don’t miss out on the college gym just because you feel lonely there.

2. Keep yourself inspired

sporty-athletic-woman-in-crossfit-gymThere are so many wonderful ways to keep yourself motivated to go to the gym. For instance, you could hang motivational posters in your room – they don’t do much but every time you look at it, you’ll feel inspired enough to at least try. Another great tactic to make yourself inspired is to go out and buy new workout clothes. Your old running shoes may be holding you back but in a new outfit, you’ll feel much more inspired. Create a goal for yourself and understand that you have to work to reach it – there are no shortcuts. Find whatever inspires you and use it.

3. Start small

young-sporty-couple-in-gymIf you start going to the gym with a goal to work out for an hour, pretty soon you’ll get tired of that and the very thought of being in a gym will frighten you and you’ll give up on going most of the time. However, if you decide to go for 15 minutes every day, for example, you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed and you’ll go. It’s just 15 minutes after all, and then you are free to go. You’d be surprised at how much you can do during that time.

‘Find some really good working out techniques that don’t require much time. Talk to a professional or some of the people in the gym about it and they’ll definitely have advice to give you. Working out for 15 minutes a day can have many benefits and it’s still not too much for any student, no matter how busy. ‘ says Gina Malone, a health writer from Academized and Boom Essays.

4. Eat properly

eating-at-picnicEating properly is another important part of being healthy, even in college. It’s a known fact that students don’t really pay much attention to what they eat as long as they do – their meals consist mostly of coffee, ramen noodles, take-out food, pizza etc. All of this may be tasty and fast but in reality, it’s not doing much for your overall well-being. This is why you need to focus on eating right. Find a meal plan that will work with your schedule and possibilities – include some fruit and vegetables in your daily life and let go of some of the fast food you eat. Cut back on energy drinks, soda’s and sweets as well.

5. Imagine how you’ll feel after

young-athlete-woman-sitting-and-relaxingWhen you are feeling lazy about working out, you should try to imagine what you would feel like after you are done. Students often have trouble making themselves get up and go and simply imagining that good, energized feeling of accomplishment after a good work out session is sometimes all the motivation you’ll need.

‘Don’t let yourself fall into a slump. Exercising makes you feel better, whether you like it or not. All of that stress you build up can be channelled into working out and turned into something useful. If you work out every day, your body will get into the habit of feeling that way every day and you’ll want to go. ‘ says Mike Jenner, an educator at Essayroo and UKWritings.

6. Track your progress

woman-athlete-with-balnk-screen-smartphoneOne of the things that will inspire you the most is the fact that you have advanced. Find a tracking app or measure yourself on a weekly basis to learn just how much you have changed because of all of that hard work you do. There are plenty of tracking apps that take many factors into account, including height, weight, water and food intake, sleep patterns etc. and that will keep you motivated. Once you see all of that progress that you have made, you’ll feel like a champion and you’ll want to do more for your health. You just have to be patient and stick with exercising.

7. Make the perfect playlist

unrecognizable-fit-couple-in-gym-with-smartphonesMusic is one of the best motivators out there. You can create a playlist for the exercise specifically and listen to it while you work out. You’ll feel a lot more inspired to work harder – and maybe even longer – if you listen to a great playlist of your favourite music.

8. Reward yourself

woman-exercising-on-treadmill-in-gymOnce in a while, it’s okay to reward yourself with something. Maybe you like books – make a commitment to a goal and once you fulfil it, buy yourself a book that you like. The same can happen with food or a day of rest, or a trip – find ways to motivate yourself to reach your goals.
Final Thoughts

Working out when in college is hard but with facilities like the college gym, you don’t have any excuses. Find various ways to motivate yourself and follow some of these tips to have a healthy life on campus.

About Author:

Grace Carter is an educator at Coursework Writing Service. She helps freshman students and tutors at OX Essays, academic website.