Exercising on a regular basis doesn’t mean that you have to join a sports team or become an iron-woman. There are lots of laid-back and fun ways to get into exercising. It doesn’t have to be hard or boring.

Grab a buddy: Exercising is much more fun if you have a good buddy to share it with. Find a friend who likes the same types of activities as you, who you have fun with, and who will push you to do your best. Scope out a routine that you both enjoy, and get to it. Having a buddy is great for motivation. If you feel lazy one day, she’ll be there to get you pumped about the treadmill. If you’re a loner or really like to have time by yourself when you exercise, that’s fine too. Check out some really cool sports-walkmans that will help to motivate you throughout your workout—there are arm-bands out there to attach your digital music players as well. If you choose to wear headphones while exercising outdoors, be careful. That music that motivates you can make it hard to hear other sounds like traffic or people nearby

Join the gym: Gyms offer a whole new approach to working out. You will find a community of people in the same boat as you: trying to have fun while getting in shape. You’ll find great equipment to use to your advantage, like treadmills, step machines, rowing machines and elliptical treadmills. You’ll have the opportunity to talk to trained professionals about your workout. You’ll also see all of the available classes to take including yoga, kickboxing and aerobics. A gym membership is easy to find and lots of gyms have family memberships, so get the whole household involved in the working out.

Go outside: Especially during good weather, you’re going to get the bug to go outside and enjoy that sun. Find creative approaches to enjoying the nice weather by incorporating your exercise routine into your time outdoors. You can find some beautiful hiking trails around your home, or take a day trip to a nearby park. You can put some air in your tires and get that bike out for a nice ride. You can organize Frisbee tosses or flag football games and other group exercise fun for your friends. Do laps in your pool, or play catch with your little sister. There are so many ways to exercise outside, it would be a shame to waste a beautiful day on the inside looking out.

Join a club or sport: If you have trouble motivating yourself to exercise, look into the sports available at your school. You don’t have to be super-competitive to get on a JV team, and to have fun with your friends while getting in shape. There are also tons of healthy clubs through your school or the community that feature organized adventures and help you get some great exercise in. Look for hiking clubs, running clubs, tennis clubs and much more in your town. The internet will always help you search for these types of organizations.