Exercise is worth the time and effort
Even though making exercise a daily habit is a challenge, many students have made gym time a priority.
Jenn McNeill has been trying to make exercise a daily activity but admits it’s been a struggle.
“When I started going to school here last fall, I really wanted to stay healthy and active even though I knew I’d be busy with school,” McNeill said.
She started waking up two hours earlier than usual to go for a jog or lift weights at the gym.
“It’s been so hard for me,” McNeill admits about waking up early. “I’m not a morning person at all, so I’ve missed so many days.
McNeill said she knows how important exercise is but feels like she doesn’t have the time. She now works out in the evening in hopes of maintaining this time slot.
“So far the evenings have been a lot better than working out in the mornings,” McNeill said. “It was too easy for me to ignore my alarm clock in the morning, but now since my evenings are usually open, it’s been easy to use that time for the gym.”
Finding an enjoyable routine is another challenge students face when trying to make exercise a regular part of their schedule.
Max Nelson said he often gets bored with his same exercise routine.
“I go to the gym, I work on my arms, shoulders, back and then a little bit of legs. It gets boring after a while,” Nelson said.
Nelson said he completely stopped going to the gym for a while because he started to dread doing the same workout every day. He said it’s easy for him to become unmotivated. After a few months of not going to the gym, Nelson’s friend recommended P90X, a series of fitness videos performed at home.
“I’ve really liked P90X,” Nelson said. “It’s been a nice change from going to the gym every day. I think I’ll use P90X every once in a while to keep from getting bored at the gym.”
Whether it’s changing the time of day or switching up routines, UVU students have been able to make necessary changes to keep exercise in their daily schedules.