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Health/Fitness Blog: Fun Ways to Stay in Shape

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Some people dread working out.  However, with all the partying and late-night eating that happens on campus, many find it a necessary evil to maintain the body they want through exercising.  If you find fun ways to workout then it is not that big of a deal.

1. Bring a friend. Any time you are headed to the gym, or going for a run, grab a friend.  Guaranteed it will go quicker.  In addition to that, you will be able to kill two birds with one stone.  You will be able to catch up with a friend and get your daily workout in.


2. Go for a long, quick-paced walk outside.  With the weather being as great as it has been, there is no reason to not get outside and go for a quick walk.  You can easily bring a friend, or use this activity to get some alone time.  Living in a dorm, fraternity, and sorority means that you get little time to yourself.  Take advantage of this amazing weather and head outside now!


3. Take a class at the gym. Some people hate having to make up their own workout.  By taking a class at CRCE or the ARC you can have someone else make your workout for you.  Also, when you’re in a large group you are unlikely to give-up half way through.  If other people are doing the class to the best of your ability, so will you.  Classes are $7 a piece, but if you want to buy the unlimited pass before the end of the semester it is at a discounted price.  I have specifically taken Yoga and Turbokick and would highly recommend taking them.  Afterwards I feel like I have climbed a mountain and can’t wait to do it again!


4. Go swimming. With summer right around the corner it is the perfect time to get your exercise in with a little swimming.  It is an easy way to cool off in the hot summer months.  Swimming laps is great, but that’s not the only way to get water activity.  You can play a game of water volleyball, which forces you to move swiftly through the water.  You could even tread water.  Treading water is a survival skill that is great to have and really works your leg muscles, because it forces you to push against the water to hold your body up. 


 
These are some easy ways to get your fitness in and have fun at the same time.  As hard as it is to believe, it is possible! So enjoy this beautiful weather and get to working! 

Emily Cleary is a 22-year-old news-editorial journalism major hoping to work in the fashion industry, whether that be in editorial, marketing, PR or event planning is TBD. With internships at Teen Vogue and StyleChicago.com, it's clear that she is a fashion fanatic. When she's not studying (she's the former VP of her sorority, Delta Delta Delta), writing for various publications or attending meetings for clubs like Business Careers in Entertainment Club, Society of Professional Journalists, The Business of Fashion Club, or for her role as the Assistant Editor of the Arts & Entertainment section of her school's magazine, she's doing something else; you will never find her sitting still. She loves: running (you know those crazy cross-country runners...), attending concerts and music festivals, shopping (of course), hanging out with friends, visiting her family at home, traveling (she studied abroad in London when she was able to travel all over Europe), taking pictures, tweeting, reading stacks and stacks of magazines and newspapers while drinking a Starbuck's caramel light frappacino, blogs and the occasional blogging, eating anything chocolate and conjuring up her next big project. Living just 20 minutes outside of Chicago, she's excited to live there after graduation, but would love to spend some time in New York, LA, London or Paris (she speaks French)!