By Katie Potzick
Staying healthy while at college can sometimes feel impossible.
“Usually students are pretty fit in high school, but when they get to college their exercising drops off,” said Karen Newton, director of Health Promotions and Education for Campus Health Services at the University of Louisville. “A lot of juniors and seniors come to me with weight problems after eating poorly and not moving for two or three years.”
Staying fit, however, is easier than it may seem.
According to U of L students, the biggest challenges they face while trying to achieve good health is finding out where to exercise, how to find the time to exercise, and where to get nutritious food on campus.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, which considering a time consuming college schedule can become difficult to organize.
However, there are several outlets for exercising on campus, most of which are open all day to accommodate hectic schedules.
“Working out is a big priority for me so I get up early and go to the [Student Activities Center] gym before class and it’s not a problem,” said Rennay Cooke, a junior communication and economics major. “There are showers and spaces to blow dry your hair and lockers and all of that so it’s convenient. People tend to think you need to spend 5 hours at the gym to get in shape but really it’s about quality and not quantity so in some cases 30 minutes of cardio can be very effective.”
The SAC gym is free for all U of L students and is outfitted with treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and places to play basketball and racquetball.
However, exercising isn’t the only important area for students who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle; another health hurdle students face is eating healthy while on campus.
When the easiest choices are hamburgers, pizza, and fries, eating well can be tricky. However, there are several good nutrition choices placed on and around campus. For example, Subway offers a variety of low fat sandwiches and salads and Wendy’s offers salads and baked potatoes.
?A student can also check with the HSC for guidance which, according to Newton, “offers free nutritional counseling; students just need to call and make an appointment.”
In addition to the counseling, the HSC will offer free nutrition and cooking workshops in October and walking groups start in September with free pedometers, and prizes for a certain amount of miles.
Students can sign up for the groups at www.louisville.edu/health.
“We don’t just want to tell students how to be healthy but to provide opportunities to help them learn how to be healthy,” said Newton.
