Kent State students finding ways to stick to fitness

Kent State students fill the new Tri-Towers gym at the opening on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017. An addition to the Recreation and Wellness Center on the other side of campus, the new center will make working out more convenient for students.

Shane Transue

Students have found several tips and tricks to help keep their New Year’s resolutions on track during the busy semester.

There are a variety of options open to students who want to continue their fitness journey in 2017. Popular options to stay on track include fitness apps and having more fun during workouts.

Freshman construction management major Jacob McKee said he uses apps on his iPhone every day to help track his progress and diet.

“I use MyFitnessPal to track every meal I eat,” McKee said. “For me, it’s a great way to stay accountable in my diet. You can also track what kind of workouts you can do. It has any food you can think of, so you just search it and track it.”

MyFitnessPal is an app operated by Under Armour, and has over 50 million downloads on Google Play. It offers a range of tools, like weight-loss tracking, and allows the user to set personalized goals. It is described as a must-have for anyone looking to drop a few pounds.

While apps and gadgets can be great when it comes to fitness, some students need other ways to keep them going three weeks into the new year.

Sophomore finance major Christopher Miller said that he goes to the gym with friends and this made his workouts more fun.

“I tried working out by myself and I didn’t like it that much,” Miller said. “Now I try to play a decent amount of basketball games with my friends during the week. It’s made getting up and working out a lot more fun.”

According to an article on mensfitness.com, working out with friends can motivate you more and even make you work out a little harder.

Intramural sports are another great way to work up a sweat and enjoy time with friends while doing so. Some programs available for the spring semester include:

· 4v4 Flag Football

· Softball

· Volleyball

· Basketball

· Bubble Soccer

The full list of spring intramural sports can be found here.

Intramural team registration can be filled out here or at the Pro Shop in the Recreation and Wellness Center.

Shane Transue is the fitness and recreation reporter, contact him at [email protected].