I always love the idea of working out (the athleisure clothes, workout selfies, and artsy pre and post-workout smoothies), but I often find that when it actually comes time to get to the gym, I have zero motivation. Other activities just sound more fun or more necessary. But what if working out could be fun? I’m going to share with you my secrets to working out even when you don’t feel like it.
Workout with Friends
This is super obvious, but it really works: work out with friends. Freshman year my friends and I set a weekly gym schedule, and then I had to go because I would have felt bad bailing on them last minute. They not only got me to the gym, but we all split up and did our own things then sometimes met up at the end for a small ab workout. But if you’re the fitness junkie of your girl squad, feel free to all get on those treadmills and push each other!
Go for a walk:
Going on walks may seem more like something you would do on a date in the 1950’s then a form of exercise, but you can actually burn about 100 calories per mile! My friends and I love going on walks because you’re still getting your heart rate up, getting moving to improve circulation, and you’re also feeding your soul with good conversation. Take advantage of parks near you or simply walk around campus. Land Between the Lakes, the arboretum, and other areas around Murray State’s campus are some of my favorite places to take walks.
Photo courtesy of Roberto Nickson
Zumba or Dancing
Again, this can also be done with friends or by yourself in the comfort of your own room. My suitemates and I moved the couches and cleared our dance floor then put on a Zumba video. This is the one that we used https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCC1vZT_IH0, but feel free to peruse all that YouTube has to offer. This is such a fun way to let loose, not take yourself too seriously, and get in a major sweat session. Or, you can also just turn on your favorite pump-up music and jam by yourself in your room. Feel free to practice your floss technique or whatever dance is popular nowadays. I do this as a break in between my punching bag workouts at home in my garage. (The dancing part, not the flossing!) It’s a good way to break up your workout without bringing down your heart rate.
Yoga + Video
I recently started doing this thing that I like to call “Sermon Yoga” where I do exactly what the name says: I do yoga while watching a sermon (and sometimes while simultaneously eating my breakfast!) I also do another form of this where I put on a 15-20 minute YouTube video and just do whatever I feel like. I usually do push-ups, Russian twists, crunches, or planks. You could finish that episode of Grey’s that you were watching or listen to a podcast and work on your six pack!
Photo Courtesy of Sarah Frederickson
I hope this convinces you that it is totally possible to incorporate fun workouts even admidst a busy schedule. This can be a great homework break or an opportunity to hang out with your friends. All it takes is a little but of planning and time management, and you’ll be well on your way to an awesome fitness journey. And be sure to snap that gym mirror selfie while you’re at it!