Staying (or getting) Healthy in College.

I hope this blog posting finds you all well and, to those who celebrate it, enjoying a great Easter weekend. Sorry I didn't post last week in the business of things I completely forgot.

For these week's blog I've decided to post something that has already been talked about by friend and fellow blogger Cory Collins, but I will be adding my own unique, and rather new, perspective to it.

Everyone has heard of the proverbial and infamous Freshman 15. The pooch of padding that all say will inevitably attach itself when you leave home and enter the realm of college life with no kitchen, food galore, and no one to tell you to stop. Well, this can be true, but not always.

Transy has so many things to promote a healthy lifestyle. Sodexo, the company in charge of our dining services, offers Balanced Way dining, which are meals selected for healthy content and all under 600 calories. The Beck Center houses an indoor track and complete gym free to all students, and the Campus Center is home to a racquetball court and indoor pool.

This is me just before I came to Transy while on vacation in California.

All these things are great. I have to admit, though, that when I came to Transy I didn't care at all. I came here weighing 250 pounds. I never visited the Beck Center, didn't know what the Balanced Way was, and made late night Chicken Bacon Ranch pizzas from the 1780 cafe a daily occurrence.

That, however, was first semester. When I went home over Christmas Break something changed, and I decided I was going to start doing things the healthy way. Not a diet, but a complete change in how I lived my day to day life. I came back for my second semester and made exercise a priority, and eating right a necessity.

I began going to the Beck Center three days a week. I ignored the pizzas and greasy foods, and replaced my night time trip to the 1780 with a yogurt from my fridge. Amazingly it was quite easy. Well, it started out hard. I couldn't run a mile without walking (and only attempted late at night because, for no legit reason at all I was embarrassed to be seen at the Beck Center). Now, however, I just completed an 8K (Five Miles) run with my Dad here in Lexington without walking at all!My Dad and I after running in AVOL's Red Ribbon Run (8K).

Because of the combined resources of healthy food, workout areas, and education materials available on this campus I have been able to lose 65 pounds, and I continue the same routine that has now become part of my college life. I tell you all this not to brag, or seek compliments, as some may think. I want you all to know that college, as everyone will tell you, is about change. Everyone agrees that in college you transform yourself mentally and socially, but why not physically too? Transy is a great place to start, or continue, a healthy lifestyle. If you are familiar with the show, you can think of it as your own "Biggest Loser" ranch. The resources are tremendous, use them and the Freshman 15 will be something you can proudly say never happened.

Above is me before I started taking advantage of the health resources on campus, and below is me now!