By Luciana Mendes
Staff Writer
Video by Cam McDaniel

Break into a sweat, and break in that bikini. As the weather heats up and those long summer days begin to near, many find inspiration to hit their local gym.

Be it a late start to a New Year’s resolution or sudden motivation to slim down, summer is a reminder to many to get off the couch and step on the treadmill. For those who are headed off to universities, it is especially important. They are meeting new people everyday and want to impress by being in tip top shape.

“By teaming up with my friend, Morgan Peccarelli, I’ve gotten myself to be more consistent about going to work out,” senior Olivia Hayden said. “Even on the days that I don’t want to go, I feel like I have to be there because my work out buddy is depending on me. We keep each other accountable by having our own set routine. Next year, we will be attending the University of Oklahoma together and by then it will be a natural part of our daily schedule.”

Those who are college bound aren’t the only ways training to get in top shape. Many Coppell High School alumnae who are returning from college for the summer are also loyal gym rats and can be found either pressing metal or going hard on the cardio.

“Now that I’m back from college I really want to focus on shedding the pounds I put on throughout the year,” CHS 2009 graduate Lexi Ornell said. “It is about the way you look, but more importantly it’s about the way you feel. I am studying to be a physical trainer and exercising has always been a passion of mine. Now it’s time to put that passion into practice on myself.

Ornell has disciplined herself to hit the gym twice each day. Although she suffers from a hip injury due to serious over-usage and will soon be undergoing surgery, she is determined to get back into shape. Ornell has also been doing physical therapy three times a week to recover from her injury.

“I love everything there is to know about muscles, tendons and how they work,” Ornell said. “It’s hard to take care of yourself properly in college. There is so much going on and so much to think about. It is easy to let yourself slip. I was playing on the volleyball team at Northeastern University in Boston and working out all of the time and I still was affected by the lifestyle change. It’s not easy.”

After February, the rush to follow through with New Year’s Resolutions starts to crash but come the month of May the crowd starts pick up again because swimsuit season is right around the corner. Over the summer, Express Fitness offers a college special who are back in town. It is a three month membership for $70.

“Lately we have seen a lot more high schoolers and college students coming in to join,” Coppell High School junior and Express Fitness attendant Lindsay Campbell said. “I guess it is because kids talk and want their friends to come workout with them. We love the new additions and are always happy to have new members.”

Other ways students have been trying to get in shape other than going to the gym are by using at home training programs such as p90x and Insanity. They have also begun to take a closer look at their daily food intakes and reconsider some of their meal choices.Nutrition is equally as essential to getting in shape as exercise. Students are choosing to instill healthy eating habits in order to achieve their personal fitness goals.

“I’ve really been working out hard but now that it is graduation party season there are temptations everywhere I turn,” senior Morgan Selph said. “I’ve got the whole exercise thing down. I just need to watch what I eat so I feel good in my new summer clothes.”