How to Get Yourself to the Gym

One thing I always freaked out about before college was how I was going to avoid the freshman 15. I mean, I have to tell you, I absolutely love to eat everything. I am the opposite of a picky eater. Not only do I like eating everything, I like the very act of eating. It's the best. 

Clearly, the freshman 15 was worrying me. How was I going to avoid eating chicken wings, pizza, Chinese food, Jimmy John's, fried chicken, and soda when it was all right there staring me in the face? 

I tried to calm myself down by telling myself that I had access to a gym. The SRSC is right across the street from Wright Quad. I thought it would be so easy to go. Boy was I wrong. 

Thankfully, I have a high metabolism so the freshman 15 has stayed far away. But I still want to go to the gym and get some good exercise. But it's hard to go to get yourself there when you have so much to do. Here's some tips:

The worst part about waking up to go to the gym is changing clothes. If you sleep in them, you can pretty much just get up and go. There is no preparation necessary, and you are ready to get going. 

I am not a morning person, but I always thought that I had to work out in the mornings. This made it so much harder because it required getting up early AND being active during the morning. Both of which I am just not into. 

But guess what? The SRSC is open until about 11. You can work out whenever you want to! It doesn't have to be early in the morning. The most popular time to go is in the afternoon I've noticed. 

I always go to the gym if one of my friends ask me to go with them because I feel bad saying no and because it's a really easy way to make friends. If you have just met someone at Orientation, ask them to go to work out with you the next week! It's a really easy get-together idea and makes you look very healthy! 

Plus, if you have plans with someone, it's much harder to break them because they are counting on you to come with them. 

If you try to just "go whenever you can," I promise you, you will never go. It's so hard to find time to do anything. But if you actually write on your calendar that you are going to the gym Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:30, then you are much more likely to do it. 

Bonus points if you make a schedule with your friend! 

Now, go work out! 

• 8 Workout Tips: IU Edition
• Avoiding The Freshman 15 and Staying Healthy
• Do you like to run the IU campus?
• Exercise, Exercise, Wiggle my Toes, Wiggle my Nose. Ideas to Get Moving in Btown!