"Get Fit Be Well," a health and wellness program for AU students, recently finished its six-week run. More than 100 students participated in the program, far more than the 50 expected by the Wellness Center. The program incorporated a holistic approach including physical, social, spiritual, emotional and environmental health. Such varied campus offices as Jacobs Fitness Center, the Counseling Center, the Health Promotion Management Graduate Program, the office of Housing and Dining and the Women's Initiative helped with the program. The idea for the program came from a similar one at the University of Maryland.
It's great that the university is trying new approaches to encourage students to engage in healthier lifestyles. College students have many unhealthy habits ranging from smoking, poor diets and staying up late to never exercising. Like many other habits, life-long exercise and eating habits are often solidified during college, and this program helps students establish a healthy lifestyle.
Additionally, the program's emphasis on different aspects of health and promotion of varied methods of exercise encouraged a greater number of students to begin and stick with the program.
Although this program is a great start to promote health among the student body, more can be done. Healthy food that can be purchased with meal swipes is nearly impossible to obtain after TDR closes.
Also, the gym's limited late-night hours and low number of cardio machines aren't conducive to regular exercise. There are other exercise options, including classes offered through the Department of Health and Fitness and group exercise classes offered at the gym, but not everyone can make room in their schedule for the for-credit classes or afford the additional fee for group classes at Jacobs.
Additional hours at TDR, regular access to Bon Appetit's nutritionist (maybe with drop-in hours like Career Center advisers hold) and expanded hours and equipment would certainly help AU students buck the nationwide obesity trend. Until all of these changes are implemented, however, the "Get Fit Be Well" program is a good place to start.
