"Willpower" seminar promotes student health

Free Wednesday seminars at the Huston Huffman Fitness Center are drawing students in during their lunchtime break.

A different subject is discussed every seminar, with the primary theme circling around health and fitness, especially for college students. 

Dubbed “Willpower Wednesdays”, the seminars take place in the Conference Room of the Huff, in the S.J. Sarkeys Complex. Students are encouraged to bring brown-bagged lunches to the 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. seminars.

“Willpower Wednesdays is cool because there is a different topic every week, and they are all interesting, so it…motivates you in a bunch of different ways,” said Charles Reynolds, economics senior.

Reynolds is like many of the attendees—drawn in by the idea of free, useful information. He first agreed to go with a friend, but decided to return after finding the information to be interesting and relevant to himself.

“It gives you ideas about how to eat best or workout most efficiently, so you learn a lot,” Reynolds said.

Topics vary to include nutritional advice, exercise-related information, and even tips to stay motivated. The seminar on Feb 16 discussed caloric intake and was called “Calories, how many should you be eating and burning.” The most recent seminar, which took place on March 2, also related to diet: “Delicious healthy recipes, bring yours to share too!”

Organized by the university’s Department of Fitness and Recreation, the seminars provide students with legitimate knowledge on how to stay physically healthy, officials say. Reasons for attending vary among students—some might want to know how to lose weight, while others may be interested in how to build up muscle—but everyone is drawn together by the common goal of achieving health and receiving valid information on how to do so.

           Students seeking a more fitness-oriented lecture might be interested in the upcoming April 6 seminar: “New to exercise? How to get started and stick to it.”  Those seeking more than motivation can attend the April 20 “Short distance race training” lecture to get tips on training and learn about the benefits of doing so.