Less than two weeks into January, and I already feel my fitness resolve crumbling. It’s easy enough to make resolutions to go to the gym, but it’s actually getting around to it that can be tough.
If you are anything like me, you probably spent your holidays lounging in sweatpants while your mom slowly, but surely, fed you into a sugar coma. Now that you are back from the break, throwing on runners and heading to Ian Stewart Complex may be the last thing you feel like doing.
And I completely understand that. Not only is January the busiest month for a gym, but also, who really feels like wearing spandex shorts after single handedly eating several pounds of turkey?
The important thing is to do it anyways. In high school, I spent 2 years working at a gym. Our membership sales in January were almost triple what they were any other month. I saw a tendency for people to start off with unrealistic goals, then get discouraged and quit. I made the same mistake when I first started going to the gym.
I told myself that starting January 1st I would go six days a week. That lasted about a week. Trying to go from zero to hero all at once is exhausting, and the chances of making a long-term change that way are slim. It was only when I focused on the more realistic goal of going four days a week that I was able to get into an actual routine.
It’s important once you’ve set a fitness goal to stick with it, because according to a study in the World of Psychology, it takes 66 days to form a habit. This doesn’t mean that if you slip up you’re back to the drawing board, but rather that it’s important to try to be as consistent as possible.
If hitting the gym isn’t your thing, there are lots of other ways to get in shape on campus. Intramurals are a great opportunity to exercise and meet people, or if you are like me and lack all hand-eye coordination, try a drop in dance or fitness class.