Do you have a question about sex, alcohol, nutrition, stress or anything else health and wellness related? USF St. Petersburg Health Educator Victoria M. Beltran has the answers!
Every month, Student Health 101 will feature the new column, “Ask the Health Educator.” To submit questions, send an email to usfspwellness@gmail.com and include “Ask the Health Educator” in the subject line. Your info will remain anonymous and your question may appear in the next issue of Student Health 101 or the Crow’s Nest.
Q. It’s the new year and I definitely want a new me! The gym is packed beyond belief with students who made their resolution to lose weight, so it’s a nightmare to try to fit in a workout. How can I get fit and become a better version of myself without the gym?
– Not a Resolution This Year
A. Dear Not a Resolution This Year,
There are tons of things you can do to get fit for the future! And a lot of those things don’t require a gym membership!
Since USFSP is on the beautiful waterfront, take a walk and enjoy your campus! You can easily walk to downtown from any building on campus and enjoy the sights. There are parks close to the school, like Vinoy Park, Poynter Park and the Recreation Field by the bookstore. You can take some friends and play soccer, football, Frisbee, anything that gets you moving.
St. Pete is also a great biking and skateboarding town, with bike lanes on a lot of major roads. Make sure you wear your helmet at all times though, just to be safe! A lot of people think getting a healthier body is just about exercise. They could not be more wrong. Ninety percent of the battle is diet, so make sure you’re eating healthy, balanced meals. NEVER STARVE YOURSELF. Even skipping one meal can set you off your course and set you up to binge later.
If you need help with your diet or just have general nutrition questions, you can make an appointment to see our nurse practitioner at the Wellness Center, schedule a Wellness Consultation with myself or meet with the dietary technician registered with Sodexo, Brad Lankford. They also have a great nutritional website (http://tomorrowstarts2day.com/dietitian.html) where you can find answers to most any nutritional question you have.
A better you isn’t just about the outside either. Confidence in yourself, your abilities and your personality are part of the equation too, so don’t forget to work on the inside as well! Soon, you’ll be feeling like the best possible version of yourself!
#Victoria M. Beltran, MPH, CHES, Wellness Center Health Educator
