Exercise is supposed to make you look good. And looking good is supposed to make you feel good, right? Throughout the winter months, the thought of leaving my warm house to venture into the cold to go to class makes me cringe - forget about going to the gym.
I'd much rather lay in my bed, bundled up under layers of blankets than make my way to the gym. I'd pick watching The Real Housewives over being surrounded by gym rats blasting their overhyped Pitbull albums and girls staring down at me from their elliptical like princesses in a tower any day.
This week is predicted to be one of the coldest of the winter season so far and my lack of energy for the gym will be at an all-time low. I need some motivation.
Find a partner
One of the toughest things is the lonely drive to the gym. An awesome way to keep the motivation alive is to find a partner. I use my sister as my workout buddy. I make sure we set a limit of at least 30 minutes of working out and usually, by the end of our workouts, we find it ends up lasting about an hour. Sharing rides to the gym is also a good way to save a little money and get a workout in without it being a lonely and dreadful event.
Take your work with you
When I do get the motivation to go burn off some energy at the gym, I've found taking homework with me makes the time go by faster. As an English major, most of my free time is spent reading articles, books and outlining papers. If I take my reading with me, put on some music and sit on a bike or walk on a Stairmaster until my reading is finished, I feel more accomplished. The distraction of reading can help to pass the time quickly if you think sitting on a stationary bike is a form of pure torture.
Make time in your schedule
When you add a workout a full-time student's schedule, it can sometimes feel like the most daunting part of the day. But look at an agenda or calendar and pencil in a time to get in a workout. This can be helpful in keeping a schedule and making sure you stick to it.
Make an exercise vision board
If you've ever looked in a magazine or watched TV in today's society, there are many ads that have people with beautiful, toned and fit bodies. Make a vision board covered in your goals. Want a body like David Beckham or Gwen Stefani? Then find some pictures of them online, post them on your wall or corkboard and look at it every day for motivation.
Hey, if your body doesn't turn out exactly like theirs, at least they're good-looking people.
Social events
Do you have a hot date this weekend? Going to any parties where you want to look extra attractive? Then use that as a motivator to keep hitting the gym or maybe do some Insanity videos. Birthdays, vacations or other upcoming events are awesome ways to make sure you don't slack on your workouts.
If none of these motivators work then experiment with different ways to keep the workouts going. But remember to stay hydrated, stretch and keep up with warm ups and cool downs. Keep in mind you'll never regret working out and you'll always regret not working out.
Email: lisa.epstein@ubspectrum.com
