At the start of every semester, the Campus Recreation Center is full of students motivated to get daily exercise.

But classes may get more difficult, parties may pop up and working out may become less important. Attendance at the Rec shrinks and the health of the student body suffers.

“Most people do not enjoy working out,” said assistant psychology professor Amanda Durik. “It’s not fun to them.”

For the semester’s start, there are a few tips on how to stay motivated to work out and avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15.”

Find someone to work out with. “It’s harder to skip a workout when someone else is expecting you there,” said private certified trainer Kristie Stanowski. “This will help both people stay motivated.”

Durik suggested setting up a time and place to meet and not to talk with each other before you’re there. She said having a workout buddy can also provide competition, which will motivate people to work out.

Switch up the workout. Some people find a workout they like and never change their routine. They get bored with it and quit. Mary Forest, general manager of Cardinal Fitness in Sycamore, said one needs to keep changing their workout and never stay with the same routine.

It also helps to not view working out as a chore.

“Make it a part of your life and make it fun,” Stanowski said. “Don’t just work out until you reach your goal. Working out should be something you do throughout your life to stay healthy and a way to have fun.”

It’s also important to be realistic.

“A person has to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound and a person burns about 100 calories per mile whether he or she is walking or running,” Stanowski said. Getting advice from other people at the gym is not always smart.

“If you have any questions about working out, ask a certified trainer at your gym. Don’t just ask someone working out, because chances are they won’t be right,” she said.

Judy Gawczynski is a City Reporter for the Northern Star.