Come on, whether you're a fitness fanatic or a couch potato, we have all said, “I don't want to go workout right now." I got a gym membership at the young puberty-peak age of 12. Since then, there have been times in my life when I woke up at 5am to run everyday before school. But, there have also been times in my life when I went two months without even saying the word “gym." Like, seriously, the gym is comprised of the monotonous same old, same old: weights, treadmills, health freaks, self-conscious thoughts, funny “this weight is too heavy for me" faces… you get it. The gym never changes. So what is the secret to enjoying fitness? Well, there are a few secrets I've learned over the years.

Stop using the word “workout."

The term workout has negative connotations. “I need to go workout," sounds intense, painful, and hard. But switch it with “I need some physical activity," and it's like you are about to go to recess! So, start using the term physical activity. First off, it takes away the pressure that health has to be serious and boring. Second of all, notice that doctors will use the same term. They will encourage you to make time for physical activity, not “workouts." Who ever came up with the term “workout" is an idiot because I would choose an activity over work any day.

Try something new.

Remember when I mentioned above that I didn't even say the word “gym" for months at a time? Well, that doesn't mean I hung up the sports bra and glued myself to the pantry. GUESS WHAT? You don't need the gym to exercise! During those times I was sick of the gym, I experimented with different fitness formats. I tried running in my neighborhood, workout videos, yoga, kickboxing, Zumba, summer boot camps, hip hop, and cycling. I've found that dancing is my favorite. So, my next adventure I hope will be belly dancing! You don't have to be in the gym to get a good exercise.

Embrace the hurt.

Yes, this is something all gym junkies have learned… it is going to burn sometimes. Whether I'm shaking my tail-feather in a Zumba class or increasing the weight on a squat bar, sometimes you are just going to be out of breath. Your muscles are going to shake. You are going to be sore the next day. But EMBRACE it. You know how sometimes when you eat a dessert that is so good that you take small bites and chew slowly just to fully enjoy the taste? Same concept (except healthier). Appreciate that you are blessed with a body capable of working hard. Appreciate that you care enough about yourself to take care of yourself. Understand that “the burn" is part of the plan and part of the reward. It is minor compared to the big picture.

Learn from a friend.

This semester, I was in a kickboxing group exercise class and ran into my sorority sister. She loves fitness and confessed to me that she just broke her personal record lifting weights! I always read about how weight lifting tones your body and lifts your booty, but I didn't really know where to begin. I told her we should workout (a dreaded word, I know) sometime together so she can teach me a few things about weights. Well, after joining her once, we decided to be workout buddies!! It is so much fun because we grow closer every time we meet at the gym, she helps me improve my body composition, and I learn how to do something that once seemed so intimidating! It's nice because while I was once scared to maneuver the Texas A&M weight room because it feels like the inside of a men's locker room, now I walk in with ease and confidence. Seriously, if there is something you want to do but don't know how, reach out. The encouragement and wisdom from someone you admire is motivating and fun.

Get a pre-workout drink.

I'll keep this one short, but basically this will make a workout possible on those days that you just don't know if anything is possible. In order to be safe, do some research to see what kind will benefit your fitness method most. A pre-workout drink will hype you up and excite your body to get moving even when you feel sluggish.

Take your time.

Sometimes, going to the gym is treated as a chore. There is this “get-in, get-out" motto. But that isn't very fair to us. We spend so much time during the day tending to friends' and professors' wishes, but when it comes to our own, we try to speed up the process like we aren't worth some good quality-time too? Forget the clock. I decided to stop worrying about the time a few weeks ago, and it is interesting because now, exercise feels like pampering. I get excited because I really choose to not let anything ruin my me-time. This also correlates with “Embracing the burn" mentioned above. Really… treat yourself to some fun physical activity.

Be consistent.

Even if you can only set aside time twice a week for physical activity, do it. Let go of the idealist concept that you need to work out 5 days a week. In college, we expect too much of ourselves sometimes, which may even cause us to withdraw ourselves completely from something, like exercise. But the point is, if you know you have time on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 o'clock, don't cancel on yourself.

Set realistic goals.

Keep things simple. If you want to drop 100 pounds, understand that that is the long-term goal. However, don't try to take on all 100 pounds at once. You will need to set short term goals. Aim for 90 pounds, then 75 pounds, and so on. This involves patience and trusting yourself. You will need to be kind to yourself and encourage yourself. However, your goal may not be to lose weight, it may be to maintain your body composition or increase muscle mass. Regardless, baby steps will land you in paradise if you are consistent and patient.

Nix the “diet."

You shouldn't eat fruits and veggie because you are on a diet. You should eat fruits and veggies because that is what our human body demands. Diets seem trivial, inconsistent, and phony. Instead, simply make it a habit to eat a balanced diet. There is no trick and keep it simple. Ate a 3 stack of pancakes at IHOP this morning? Well, eat some fruit, or chicken for lunch then. No need to complicate your menu. Use common sense to balance fruits, veggies, protein, carbs, and fats throughout the day.