3 simple steps to go to the gym 1x/week

GO TO THE GYM 1X/WEEKduring your hectic college life

3 simple steps to:By Catherine Lu

Stanford ’14

MY PREVIOUS FAILED ATTEMPTS...

For my past two college years, I had been trying to go to the gym at least once a week

Previous attempts: going with friends, signing up for a gym class, adding it to a calendar, iPhone alarm

Nothing stuck...until now!

STEP 1: PREPARE

I set a realistic goal: “Every Thursday after class, I will go to the gym”

I set rules: (1) After class on Thursdays, change into gym clothes (2) Stay in gym clothes until going to the gym or bedtime

I created a conspicuous signThursday?GYM!

STEP 2: EXECUTE

After getting back to my room from my last class Thursday, I saw my reminder and changed into my gym clothes + shoes

Result: I went to the gym!

STEP 3: CELEBRATE

After every gym visit, I celebrate!

I do a fist pump after leaving the gym and think “Good workout!”

You could do a fist pump, or pat yourself on the back. It doesn’t matter what you do, just that it works for you

WHY IT WORKS

2 small steps: changing into gym clothes is easy, and going to the gym when dressed is easier

Convenient in college: no fixed time to go to the gym, just sometime after changing

YOUR TURN!

Step 1: Pick a good day for you and put up a conspicuous physical or digital reminder.

Step 2: On the day you chose, change into gym clothes after class. Then go to the gym!

Step 3: Celebrate!

CONTACT ME

Tell me how it worked for you: bit.ly/SZrK0g

Or email me directly: cglu@stanford.edu

Good luck in school and on your path to better health!

I’m a Stanford junior majoring in Computer Science. I’m interested in health technology

and how people create healthy behaviors for

themselves.