Getting into the gym and actually working out on a regular basis is harder than it may seem. You wouldn’t believe how many people out there have monthly gym memberships that they never use. If you’re going to college, then there’s a good chance that free access to the campus gym is part of the perks of your tuition costs. That said, it doesn’t mean that you will be any more likely to take advantage of these benefits. The truth is, making a regular habit of going to the gym can be a tough challenge at first, but once you make it a part of the routine, it will feel like second nature. Here is how to motivate yourself to use the college gym this year.
Include exercise in your agenda.
If you want to really commit to any kind of exercise regimen, you’re going to have to make it just as much a priority as any of your classes or discussions. So make sure to write it down in your agenda. You’re going to want to hit the gym at least twice, if not three times per week. This way you will be able to make it a very prominent event in your week, and it won’t be something that is so easy to forget.
Find a Workout Buddy
Sometimes it’s easier to commit to something if you have somebody else who is counting on you as well. Not only that, but you can really push each other to get in a few more minutes of jogging on the treadmill or a few more reps on the weight lifting machines. Whatever exercises you choose to do, having a partner to do them with you can be extremely motivating.
Create a Workout Regimen
One of the main reasons why a lot of people have a hard time getting themselves to the gym is because they’re not quite sure what to do once they get there. That’s why it can be really helpful to write down a list of exercises to do once you get there and exactly how long you should spend with each of them. Don’t forget to make some time for stretching beforehand and afterwards, and make sure that you warm up to all the hardest exercises so that you don’t injure yourself.
Set Goals for Yourself
If you’re earning a difficult degree like WSU’s executive MBA, then you know all about setting goals. When you exercise, you want to be sure that you are constantly setting goals for yourself, and you want to set dates for those goals. So when you write down your workout regimen, be sure to be specific about how far you want to go and how soon you want to reach each goal.
Create Incentives
If you’ve tried all of the above and you still can’t get yourself to the gym on a regular basis, then you might need to create incentives for yourself. Tell yourself that you can only eat your favorite dessert over the weekend if you reach all of your exercise goals for the week. Or don’t let yourself go out with friends over the weekend unless you’ve done your weekly workouts. No matter what the incentive is, it has to be tailored to your personal interests.
