The end of January is the time when New Year’s Resolutions begin to be forgotten, and the crowds at the ARC and CRCE start to die down. Whether you decided 2012 would be the year you got in shape, stayed in shape, gained some muscle, or lost some weight, it’s very easy to lose motivation and make excuses to not work out. However, there are some simple solutions to get past those reasons and continue to exercise, even when it’s cold out and the stress of classes is starting to kick in.

So in order to help debunk those reasons to stay lazy, the following list contains some helpful advice and ways to get past the top five excuses not to exercise:

*1. “I don’t have time to work out.”*

Everyone has some extra time in the day. Whether it’s an hour or two between classes, that gap between your last class and dinner, or late at night, you could be using that time to go for a short run or hit the ARC.

Jen Clark, senior in LAS, believes that planning your workouts ahead of time is a great way to stay motivated.

“Plan your week out ahead of time. Plan your meals as much as you can, plan the hours that you’re going to do your schoolwork, and then just plug in that extra hour to go work out,” she advised. “Once you have it written down, I feel like you’re much more compelled to actually go do it. If you’re just talking about it, it’s easy to just say ‘oh well, whatever.’”

*2. “I just ate.” / “I’m going to eat.”*

While exercising directly after eating is not ideal, it shouldn’t prevent you from working out altogether. According to studies, it’s best to wait three to four hours after a large meal before exercising, two to three hours after a small meal, and a mere 30 minutes after a snack.

So you might not want to go for a run immediately after dinner, but you can plan that workout for a few hours later. And it’s not good to work out on an empty stomach, so eating something healthy and protein-filled before exercising is not a bad idea.

*3. “I don’t want to go to the gym alone.”*

The ARC may seem intimidating when you’re by yourself, but there are many ways to exercise as part of a group. Along with the group fitness classes offered through Campus Recreation, there is also a match board available on the Campus Rec website to help you find a partner to work out or play with. Or if you already have a partner in mind, it’s as simple as going to the gym with a friend or two. Clark, who has trained for half-marathons, said that setting up a support system with her six roommates and working out with them was very helpful in staying motivated.

*4. “I don’t want to go all the way to the gym, it’s so far away.”*

Samantha Zimecki, junior in Media, has found some creative ways to get a workout in without going all the way to the ARC or CRCE.

“I started playing Just Dance, because I can just do it in my living room. You get really gross and sweaty, so I assume it’s working out,” she laughed.

Zimecki also suggested using YouTube videos, which she said is just like using a workout video without actually buying the DVD.

*5. “I just don’t like to work out.”*

Not everyone exercises in the same way. Some people like to run, while others prefer to swim, dance or lift weights. According to Janet Lynn Kroencke, assistant director of Wellness Services for Campus Recreation, the important thing is to find something that you enjoy doing, and be realistic about it.

“You’ve got to really think about what you’re going to stick to. Realistically, for me to say that I’m going to run five or 10 miles a day is unrealistic, because I’ll get bored. I need to change it up, and I’m aware of that,” she said.

Kroencke also said that an important thing to keep in mind while working out is to make sure that you’re actually interested in what you’re doing.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” she commented. “You may be doing something healthy, but doing something you don’t enjoy is not healthy.”