Step into good health at fitness fair

By BRENT CUNNINGHAM
Reporter Staff

In a creative collaboration with Residential Life, faculty and student interns from The Departmentof Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences have begun to offer a range of new fitness services to students in the Ellicott Complex.

This year, residents will be able to receive computerized nutritional analyses, body-mass calibrations and professional fitness assessments. According to Garry Soehner, associate director of University Residence Halls, the entire program "adds up to having your own personal trainer."

"At an early age, people make lifestyle choices," Soehner said. "Some students have more trouble when they're away from home, because their diets and their schedules are less flexible, so...we hope this will help them establish good fitness habits."

The new program will be officially launched during the "First Step" fitness fair, scheduled for 2-5 p.m. Saturday. As in the past, information about nutrition, exercise, eating disorders, weight loss and powerlifting will be available at tables and booths in front of Fargo Quad. This year, however, faculty and student interns from nutrition, exercise science and physical therapy also will be on hand to conduct fitness and nutritional assessments.

Throughout the year, interns will follow up on the initial assessments, offering advice and computer analysis at least twice a week. After eating in the cafeteria, for example, a student "will be able to enter what they just ate into a computer, and it will tell them how many grams of fat, how many grams of sodium, how it fits their nutritional picture," said Soehner.

Wednesday night "Fit Chats" will offer students another way to follow up on their assessments. Student "power advocates" from the Living Well Center will conduct informal discussions about eating right in the dorms, eating disorders, proper weight-loss programs and how to shop for healthy food.

The new program got its start last year when Elizabeth Eckert, fitness programmer for Residential Student Services, began expanding the aerobics classes in the Fargo workout room. Eckert, who also holds a position in the Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, acted as the initial liaison between Residential Student Services and the nutrition and exercise science departments. With support from Barry Eckert, dean of the School of Health and Related Professions, Soehner and Pete Niland of Residential Life turned the aerobics classes into complete fitness regimens.

The entire program is free to Ellicott residents.

"These are the kinds of programs that cause a resident to stay with us instead of moving off-campus," said Soehner. "It's like having a state-of-the-art health club membership."

"We're very excited about the entire program," said Eckert. "I'm expecting a good response from the students."