This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Waseda chapter.
As the semester goes on in full steam, you might be buried knee-deep in work and readings that you can almost forget that it’s already May! And well, we all know what’s coming up right after May…A blast of sun, shine and SPF products known as Summer. And summer is the season for short skirts, cropped tops, bikinis and everything that satisfies our skin-baring cravings.
Some lucky girls may have perfect bodies that miraculously manage to stay fit in winter (It’s Christmas, let’s eat! It’s New Year’s, let’s eat! It’s cold, let’s eat!) But the rest of us mere mortals might have put on some holiday weight that we’re praying will just disappear by the time summer rolls around.
Alas, if life had one overarching lesson, it would be this: nothing comes for free. So here are some ways to motivate yourself to get up and work out!
Get a gym buddy!
You know that one friend who has the secret or, perhaps, open desire to get fit but does nothing about it, much like you? Yup, we all know that friend. Talk to that friend and create a gym pact where the two of you go to the gym together. The pressure to not cancel plans on a close friend can often be the extra push you need to actually begin your fitness regime instead of sitting on it and pondering when you’ll start doing it.
Alternatively, you know your other friend who has her entire life under detailed control, and you’re slightly in awe/scared of her because she does everything she promises to do, even the promises she makes to herself? Yeah, that friend would also make an excellent gym partner. To ensure this plan goes forth smoothly, you need to tell your friend to make sure you follow your gym routine BEFORE you feel the burning ache in your calves from your two-minute run on the treadmill. Give your friend full permission to do whatever is needed to make sure you stick to your gym routine! Trust me; the hollering from that friend will be all the motivation you need to scuffle up from your bed and your TV series to get down and get fit.
Sometimes gym buddies can even look like this…
Be optimistic about…
How much better your life would be if you started working out! A better and healthier body will definitely boost your confidence and make you a happier person. An added benefit of working out may be meeting cute guys in the gym! Hey, it happens in the movies, so it might just happen in real life. Fingers crossed and hope for the best!
Seeing a cute guy work out and going like…
Unleash your inner hypochondriac!
Sure, getting hot and ready for your bikini is definitely one great benefit of going to the gym, but staying in the peak of health is definitely the most important takeaway from a fitness regime. Conversely, the health detriments from a lack of exercise might just be the scare you need to lace up your shoes and go for a jog! This method only requires the power of the Internet and an overactive, paranoia-induced imagination. Simply Google, “Diseases caused by a lack of exercise.” Whatever it takes to scare you into going to the gym — be it heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, you name it — Google’s got it!
Sometimes you need to freak out to work out.
Get ready for the gym
This may seem a little weird as a motivational tactic, but hear it out. Sometimes donning our gym gear works the logic in our brains such that we actually find it a bit of a waste if we skip the gym. The logic usually goes like this: “I have my sports bra on, and I wore my running shoes — I might as well go to the gym, or it’ll be a waste.” You would, however, usually have a following thought that goes: “Or I could just head home.” But if you follow that train of thought, shame on you. Shame. On. You. We judge you. We all judge you. The best way to avoid following that tempting second thought is to pack more gym stuff! Bring your whole gym bag and a huge water bottle with you to school or work, and you’ll end up feeling really angry if you lugged all of that extra weight around for yet another evening of lazing at home, catching up on Game of Thrones.
Put on your gym gear and be internally pressured into working out.
Splurge on pretty gym gear!
This method is one of the surefire ways to get a girl really, genuinely excited about going to the gym. Spend some money on some pretty gym gear — be it a sports tank top or that super adorable tennis skirt! Once you’ve splurged on clothes, you will want to wear them and be looked at at the only place where gym gear is admired: the gym (of course)! And once you’re in the gym, you pretty much have to work out. It’s the only socially acceptable thing to do.
Trust me, splurging on clothes, even if it’s gym clothes can only feel like this…
Reevaluate your life choices
Look at yourself. You’re reading an article on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym. Perhaps this is the universe’s way of telling you to… guess what? GO TO THE GYM!
Let this be the new you!