Academics are one of the top things for students to focus on, but what about your health? Professor Elizabeth Sharp gives advice about student health because it is important. Shap an associate professor of Kinesiology and past president of the SHAPE Colorado (Society of health and Physical Educators).
What do you believe is the hardest part for college students when trying to be healthy?
Trying to balance the many demands of life as a college student typically makes healthy living fall to the bottom. Some students try to do too many changes at once (eat healthy, exercise more, improve sleep habits, etc.) and instead they should focus on changing just one thing at a time.
What is one thing students can do easily in a daily routine?
Pay attention to their little choices, because those little choices add up. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips for a snack, choose an apple or carrot sticks. Instead of sitting on the couch and watching 3 hours straight of a show on Netflix, do some squats, lunges, or move in place while watching. Little choices throughout the day will add up to a healthier lifestyle overall.
What activities do you suggest students spend their time with?
Find something that you enjoy. You are more likely to stay active if you are enjoying the activity. Also, if you don’t have time, you can exercise in small bouts. 12 sessions of 5 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity is just as beneficial for your body as doing the 60 minutes all at once. Find ways to incorporate just a little more movement into your day.
What sort of activities would you suggest to students?
It is good to have a balance between cardio activities (running, hiking, brisk walking, biking, etc.), strength activities (weights, push-ups, etc.), and flexibility activities (stretching). Try to create a balance of the three types of activities throughout your week.
What do you believe is harder for students eating healthy or exercising? Why?
I think that students let school and work become a priority over having a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t make it a priority, it won’t happen. Also, many students do not see the effects of their unhealthy lifestyles until they are in their late 20’s or early 30’s, so many of them think that skipping the workout isn’t a big deal.
How do you practice a healthy lifestyle? What could students learn from you?
As a mom most of my activities include my two-year-old, so exercising looks different for me. It includes walking to the park, jumping rope while my kid plays, having dance parties in the living room, and carrying him in a pack while hiking. I also do meal planning for the week so that my family eats healthy meals all week long and have lots of veggies and fruit available for snacks.
