Valencia Cortes, contributor

Have you been having a hard time exercising on campus? Maybe it is because you are like me, always promising to yourself to work out in the gym. But you never do, because excuses get in the way or you are too shy to try a workout routine that you have never done before. Or maybe you are a person who has no interest in the gym at all. But exercise is important for everyone. Here are some easy tips to getting your workouts in more often. 

The first step into any exercise plan is to stretch. Stretching is important because it warms up your muscles and will help reduce injuries. You can stretch anywhere, anytime. It gets your mind ready and you body to workout. If you are hesitating on whether you are about to workout, start with some stretches, and it will help motivate you to keep on going with your workout. It makes you feel good and more confident to workout when you have prepared your body. 

The next step to exercising more on campus is to find out where you want to work out. If you like to be isolated, find places outside of the gym or go when there are less people. It does not have to be the gym, but if you like the gym best to focus, I recommend going late at night between 6pm and 10pm during weekdays and early mornings during weekends. Also, never depend on someone to go with you every time to the gym. Your friends might not be as motivated as you are and might miss a few days, but you do not want to let that be an excuse to not work out at all. My tip is to work out in places that are close to you so it is quick to get started as soon as you want to go. If you are feeling some gym-xiety, do not hesitate to go by yourself and you will see lots of people who go there alone. Just zone out, and if you are looking for other places to work out, the stairwell is another place to do cardio and other exercises if you bring a mat. Make cardio something you like; anything with movement can be exercise.

Next step is coming up with your workout routine. Many people struggle with this because they do not remember or know what a workout routine should look like. Having thoughts in the gym like “Am I doing this right?” may stop you from going again. But there can be an easy platform to start this if you are dedicated. I found it on shape.com an article called “How to build a routine for losing weight.” Working out everyday can be hard, but all that matters is that you are moving and getting better every day. Every day, you will make progress and start to feel better mentally. You will build your stamina and become stronger. You want consistency that is not too hard to keep up with. Whatever your health goal is, working out will make you feel different in a good and positive way.

Exercise is healthy for everyone, and everything counts! At the least, download an app on your phone and get those 10,000 steps a day. If you do not think exercise is fun, start with stretching. Trying yoga as another alternative helps with muscular strength and can boost your metabolism. If you miss a day, do not get discouraged; you can still go for a walk or end your day with some crunches. These are a bunch of little tips that will help you squeeze exercise in your day with no time. It is all about quality over length, and you can start to remake yourself now.