I am going to London

I am about to embark on a semester abroad in London. Anyone have any tips on staying healthy and fit while abroad?

I did a semester in London in the fall of 2006, you will love it!  I studied at UCL, which is right in central London.  The gym was crazy expensive, as is everything, so I didn't join, but it was still easy to stay healthy and fit.  Since things were expensive I was always very careful with the food I bought and ended up eating healthier than I would at home.  I also walked a TON.  I did use the Tube, but I never used the bus, so I walked to see all the sights in London, it was easy to walk almost everywhere since I lived right in the city.  I was ran a lot, the parks are great for running.

I was abroad for 3 months and actually lost some weight due to my lifestyle, which definitely included plenty of pubs, bars, clubs etc. 

Will you be enrolling at a school?  I also had friends who went to Royal Holloway and LSE.

I live in London, so please ask me any questions you want about living there.

What helped me to stay fit and get my way around was cycling - even though London is very busy in terms of traffic, I got used to it, and I very much enjoy cycling to work and back (about 5 miles each way).

It's great in terms of food, in that you can buy just about everything.

You may be happy to know that London has many Whole Foods outlets in it, so shopping healthily and with some familiarity won't be too much trouble for you. In termsa of restaurants and bars, London is likely the most varied culinary locations in the UK, in that you can find pretty much any diet and cuisine if you look hard enough - right down to raw vegan! XD Still. There are also plenty of bars, pubs and clubs if that's your kind of thing. Just be prepared as costs of dining out will be higher in London.

I don't know where or what borough you're studying in, but if you're anywhere near Croydon, there is a terrific Asian supermarket that I know of there that my family always makes an effort to stop at if we're passing through: Wing Yip. They sell masses of varied Asian produce, lots of fresh and frozen fish and seafood, fruit, veg, meats, all generally very healthy foods. Worth a look if it's in your area!

If you cycle, I also recommend essentially what skp has suggested in using a bike to get around. There are many marked routes and it means you avoid road congestion. Better yet: Transport for London: Walking - this page has routes listed if you want to keep fit through walking in your local area. 

One key piece of advice, though: invest in a map! I live only 45 minutes train journey from London and have been there many times, and I still get lost!

I am going with IES abroad ... taking classes at the abroad center and at City University.

IES got us a discounted monthly rate at the YMCA in central London, so I think I will do that.

I am really excited. Any reccomendations on the best places to go/things to do :)?

Ah, discount gym is always good. As for what to do: take advantage of all the museums. V+A, British History, Science, etc. Might also be worth your while to check this out: http://www.theoriginaltour.com/ - it's a big, open top bus that tours the city.

London is cheap to eat if you know where to go, I would go to the street markets for your fresh fruit and veg.

There will be plenty of gyms to pick from so shop around for the best deal in your area.

There are also really nice parks to go jogging in. So you will have plenty of reasons to exercise outside.

London is a great place, but always safety first, I would say always be extra vigilant in strange places (London). I'm not trying to scare you, just pointing it out as you are bound to be excited and therefore may let your guard down.

Most of all have a great time and enjoy the experience