West Long Branch, N.J. (The Verge) – There are 26 days left of class and Monmouth students know more anyone else that the beach will be occupied well before that. As preparation for the sunny swimsuit days, students all over campus are trying their best to work out and take care of their bodies. Whether its spending long hours at the gym or watching what they eat at the dining hall, many people seem to be on point. For some however, many things such as stress, budget, and limited nutritional knowledge hinder fitness progress.
If you’re an on campus gym regular like I am, you know that certain times of the day at the MAC gym get awfully crowded. An option to elude the midday crowd is to hit to gym during the early hours when most people are still sleeping or in their 8:30 a.m. classes. I know it sounds tiring and inconvenient, but when you’ve completed your workout for the day and it’s only 10 a.m. you’ll feel accomplished. Another trick is to get there before class starts so that people begin to clear out. For example: enter the gym at 12:40; most people who are there are usually finishing up for their 1 p.m. class or returning to the dorms to shower.
Maybe the on campus facilities might not be your thing. Maybe you don’t like the idea of seeing your ex-boyfriend while you’re awkwardly lifting weights and sweating with no makeup on, and that’s okay. There are many off campus options that can be beneficial to your embarrassment and believe it or not to your wallet. I know there are a lot of gyms out there that are pricey and make you commit for a year, but do your research before you lock yourself into a contract that you’re not going to be happy with. Many gyms offer special discounted memberships for students and more lenience when it comes to freezing an account.
Gyms like Retro Fitness offer a three-month membership for students since they know committing to a full year is hard as a student. Planet Fitness also offers a yearlong membership for only $10 a month. Other gyms like Gold’s and World Gym give out free seven-day passes if you sign up online. Check your local gyms as well to see what type of plan they can offer you, and don’t forget to bring your student ID! If stress is a main factor in your daily schedule, trying out a Yoga class might be a good idea too; most also have a new member or student special.
If you aren’t motivated enough with these money saving options, it’s time to take it a little bit further. Have you ever thought about making money by going to the gym? Well, new iPhone app, GymPact, will pay you for completing workouts. It works by setting a goal of how many workouts you want to accomplish in the week. Your iPhone can verify any gym that is separate from your home and records it to the app. If you complete your goal, you will get paid from someone who does not complete his or hers. However, if you skip a day, you’ll be the one paying, around $ .50 per missed workout.
If you’re into the idea of getting on track using apps then another one to consider is a calorie counter. A personal favorite, LoseIt!, lets you set a goal starting by weight and then automatically sets your daily allowance based on how fast you want to drop the pounds. Everyday you log what you eat and it subtracts from your caloric intake. Adding your exercise also logs how many calories you burn each day. You can search foods from simple produce to chain restaurant staples and log it into your daily counter. There are options to create recipes of food combinations you eat often and even to scan barcodes when you don’t feel like searching. Calculators like LoseIt!, Myfitnesspal, and CalorieKing are helpful to understand your daily intake but we are only human and each day will not always be the same. With these tips and tricks to get motivated about getting fit, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and on to the treadmill.
