You aren’t exercising right if you aren’t going to the gym every single day, pushing yourself to the extreme and struggling to walk out the door. This idea is being portrayed online, with terms such as ‘locking in’ showing how we’re trying to over-ambitiously transform our lives overnight. But this glamourised depiction of ‘locking in’ can only last for so long before exercise starts to become a chore. At the start, walking alone in the cold to the gym feels like you’re dedicated, but it soon feels not worth it. If you want to be consistent and dedicated to exercise, making it fun is the key, and here’s how.
Try new things:
Being at the best sports university in the country means having access to a variety of choices. Trying something new can help you break a repetitive routine and introduce you to something you may love. Whether it’s ‘Rise and Shine’ on Mondays at 8 am or netball on Fridays at 6 pm, there’s something for every schedule, every ability, and everyone. Also, whilst it’s not free, there are classes at both Holywell and PowerBase gym, offering an inclusive, motivating and positive environment for exercise. Download and check out the Loughborough Sports app for more.
Go with friends:
The tactics you use to get your friends to go out on a Wednesday night when they have a 9 am the next day need to be applied to convincing them to workout with you. Going to new classes, trying new sports or even just going to a busy gym can be nerve-wracking alone; having friends to go with will allow you to actually enjoy it. PureGym found, in their 2025/26 gym statistics, that 41% of people say having friends at the gym motivates them and makes them enjoy it more. Laughing between sets is much better than zoning out. Exercising is supposed to be fun, so get your friends to go with you and notice the difference it makes for you and them.
Be kind to yourself:
Being your own friend is vital to enjoying exercise; positive encouragement and taking care of yourself are all a part of being healthy. Off days are normal. Some days you won’t be able to find the motivation to workout. Some days you won’t be able to lift as much or run as far. When our body needs rest or when we’re overworked, take a day off. Resting when we need to is better for your body than pushing it past its limit.
Movement and exercising should feel good, and as soon as it starts to negatively affect your emotions then something isn’t right. Change it up, have fun with it and realise that just as much as it’s essential, it’s also not that serious; any movement is good movement. Now let’s go have fun and book up all the classes and recreational sports!
