CL Gets Moving!

I’m all for sharing my life with my friends and family, but now I am making the leap to take my private life public with College Lifestyles. This summer my dad was diagnosed wtih cancer with more complications than I knew were possible. It was hard to imagine that a man with a medical record of little more than an ingrown toenail could be so sick and nobody caught it.  I had always considered my family as “healthy” and never really stopped to consider the changes that should have been made a long time ago to the daily habits we had become so familiar with.

My parents are business owners with an on-the-go lifestyle that can make even busy people look slow. I always used to joke that I grew up on DiGiorno pizza, and not real food, because my brother and I would spend a lot of time at the family business rather than a babysitter. It was great and had a lot of benefits, but was also the place where a lot of eating habits were developed and learned that we should have broke out of.

Now that I have admitted to the world that my diet is less than desirable (chocolate and peanut butter are real food groups, right?), listen up for my exercise habits. Maybe I should state it as my “lack of exercise” habits. In theory, I am sure it is something I would love if put in the right situation, but for now I have been in all the wrong situations with all the wrong motivations. “I need to fit into that dress,” “I’ve put on ten pounds!” and “I had THREE bowls of ice cream” have clouded any healthful reason I may have come up with to exercise and treat my body how I should. The funny thing is that I can be extremely disciplined when it comes to certain things, so why not fitness? Why can’t I hit the “off” button instead of “snooze” and crawl out for an early morning run?

My best friend, who I have known since fifth grade, called me this weekend and I found out just how much we are alike–but not in any way either of us would have wanted. Her dad–a seemingly healthy man–has cancer now too. It is a battle we are both going to have to fight, and with it being October (National Breast Cancer month) I can’t find any better reason to bring awareness to CL readers.

At College Lifestyles, we understand nutrition and lifestyle and strive to bring you the information you want and need to know. So what now? You all know that my workout habits are lack-luster and my eating habits are less than grandiose  but more than peanut butter. The Mayo Clinic’s website provides a list of 7 steps to reduce your risk of cancer, which I highly suggest taking a peek at for a healthier future, but when I was looking over it I knew exactly which number was giving me the guilty stare. I had bombed steps 2 and 3: eating a variety  of healthy foods and exercising to maintain a healthy weight. It isn’t even that I am overweight, but I really don’t put forth any effort.

If I were the only non-exercising, non-health promoting, junk-food-eating college student out there, I wouldn’t be typing right now, but I know I’m not. It is easy to slip into the “I have too much homework” routine.

So here is what October is going to be for me:

As an intern at College Lifestyles, I am getting the chance to investigate certain work out environments, evaluate them, investigate why others love them, and find out the scoop on fitness centers. I will be testing out certain settings three times a week for thirty minutes to see what all they have to offer. This will last for two weeks and then I will move on and investigate the next one! There will be some fun interviews from college students who are already enjoying the benefits of the workouts or fitness centers we are investigating, so keep checking back for updates. I am also excited to bring you my favorite healthy-boosting tips that I find along the way (I’m addicted to Self magazine but seem to do more lifting of pages than weights).

Because one can’t be heathly on exercise along, I’ll try to ditch my current breakfast of champions–oreos and water as I am running madly out the door–and share news you can use when it comes to healthy eating (I’m reading Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern-Day Woman–and it is love from the first page!)

Are you like me and focus more on your wardrobe than what wears the clothes? Do you want to take the first steps to being active? I encourage you to! I’m doing it and know I won’t be alone. There is no time better than now to start making beneficial changes for your future, especially with all the positive sides to it: reduces your risk of cancer, increases your energy level, is something fun that is good for you…really? Need I go on?

Are you already on the right track? What motivates you to get moving? A healthier lifestyle? Your roommate? What is your favorite way to workout?

Leave us a line because we’d love to know!

Stephie Kaiser is an intern of College Lifestyles (TM) and loves every minute of it! She also loves a good book, road trip, and Vera Bradley.