Exercise is Medicine with Altitude club brings a national health campaign to UCCS

"Classes, busyness, laziness probably, tired from classes, plus work."

These are all excuses that Katie Gray, a senior in biology, has heard given for not exercising on a regular basis.

Most students know that they should be working out often for their health's sake, but it just doesn't always happen.

One club on campus plans to change that.

The Exercise is Medicine with Altitude club seeks to educate and encourage students on campus toward a healthier lifestyle by emphasizing the importance of regular physical activity.

The program on campus was started by Rachel Cline, a master's student in health promotion, as a class project. Since then, it has grown significantly and even placed sixth at the American College of Sports Medicine's national "Active U Challenge" contest.

"The Exercise is Medicine with Altitude club is based off the Exercise is Medicine on Campus campaign, and this is a national campaign brought out from the American Heart Association and the ACSM, which is the American College of Sports Medicine," Cline explained. "They have brought out this campaign to encourage physical activity on college campuses."

She added, "[There are] different ways you can do this: through a screening process, through intervention or simply through information and education. We have been doing education and screening, and this semester we're going to be rolling out some intervention."

These goals are supported by a couple of key partners on campus who plan to interact with students on a serious level.

One of the partners to the Exercise is Medicine with Altitude program is the Student Health Center. Cline said, "It becomes one of their vital signs. So as [a student is] getting blood pressure done and everything like that, they also get asked about their physical activity habits and what that looks like on a day-to-day basis. If they do not meet the federal recommendation of 150 minutes of physical activity per week, which has to be within moderate to vigorous intensity, they get referred to the Rec Center."

Referrals can be "redeemed" at the Recreation Center, the other support partner for the program, and include free goodies such as a group fitness pass.

Do students get in that recommended 150 minutes? "Probably not," said Amanda Stinson, a junior in nursing. "Time is short for all of us."

"We all have studying and homework to do, and working out tends to come last."

When introduced to the idea of Exercise is Medicine, Stinson said, "That would be great. It would be motivating to have it right here on campus."

Kat Bittner, working on her secondary education certificate in English, thinks that motivation could also translate to action. She said, "I know it would for me. It's something I would probably take advantage of. It never hurts to at least get the information out there and make it available."

Information is indeed a focus for the Exercise is Medicine with Altitude club. Each week, they publish a tip for students to help them create and meet health goals. These tips can be found under Student Health Center news (uccs.edu/~shc/news.html).

One of the biggest ways that the program is getting the word out is through their kickoff event this week.

Cline said, "The kickoff event is going to be a big celebration of the campaign on our campus. There's a national speaker coming in, and she's from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. Her name is Carena Winters."

She added, "She was part of the first Exercise is Medicine on Campus launch event at a different university, so it's cool to have her there."

Winters has been helping to plan the kickoff event as well as preparing to speak at it.

In addition to the guest speaker, Cline will also be presenting. The group is also bringing in a DJ for dancing.

The Exercise is Medicine with Altitude club does not have a set meeting time currently, but students wishing to get involved are encouraged to attend the kickoff event.