Physical Wellness

Eating healthy and making new meals can be a lot of fun. It’s important to have a variety of food each day. Try to get in fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy, and oils each day. One easy way to get more fruits and veggies in is by making smoothies for breakfast. Throw some milk (almond, soy, or dairy!), a banana, some berries, and a bit leafy greens in a blender and you have a quick and nutritious breakfast! If you need more protein or fats, you could add a scoop of peanut butter too. UHS has a collection of healthy recipes you can try out!

Another important dietary factor is the amount you are eating. Everyone has different needs in terms of calorie intake and portion size, so make sure you are in the healthy range for you. Your body is built to regulate and usually does a great job through your life cycle. However, when it doesn’t, you need to think more broadly than just “calories” or portion size. We overeat when stressed, sleep deprived, over-hungry from missed meals and when there is too much access to very tasty food. These factors are common in all our lives!

Disordered eating is a family of serious conditions where people struggle with eating/food, exercise, and/or body image. If you are worried about your own or a friend’s eating habits, please look at UHS’s page on disordered eating. They have great ideas or what to say to a friend and how to get help.

Written in conjunction with Marcy Braun, a UHS nutritionist. 

We’re sure you’ve all heard how important sleep is and how you should get a full night’s rest and how it’s better than cramming all night for an exam. But sometimes, it’s just really hard to fall asleep or we don’t know where to find the time to do everything we need to do during the day.

How do we quiet our minds and actually fall asleep? Exercising regularly and avoiding sleeping pills can both help you sleep a little better. If you stretch out before bed, that can help relax your muscles and get your body ready for bed. Watch this video from UHS’s Rob Sepich for more tips!

Having a positive mindset can help reduce stress and improve your overall health. Having a positive mindset doesn’t mean you ignore all the bad things that may be happening around you, but it does mean that you approach lives set backs in a positive way. The Mayo Clinic lists many health benefits of positive thinking, such as longer life spans, better cardiovascular health, and even more resistance to the common cold!

Whenever you find you’re being hard on yourself, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself of all the great things you’re doing. You got out of bed today. Maybe you made it to work or class. Maybe you treated yourself to a nice meal. Maybe you really well on an exam or paper recently. Remember that you are doing your very best, and that’s what matters.

We get that finding time to workout every day is really difficult. But a little bit makes a big difference. You don’t have to be a triathlete to reap the benefits of exercising. Trying biking to class or work instead of driving or using public transportation. If you don’t have a bike, Madison BCycle has stations all over campus, and it’s discounted for UW students and staff.

Another great option is taking a quick walk around the block after dinner. This could last 20-30 minutes and be a great way to bond with your family or your roommates. You could also take your lunch break outside and go for a walk before or after you eat.

Being sick and having to miss school or work can be really stressful. You fall behind, and it takes a while to catch back up. Or you might push through and either get others sick or prolong your own illness.

Avoid the Illness

None of these options are fun, so here’s some tips to avoid getting sick in the first place. Get the flu vaccine. Each year around flu season, UHS offers free vaccines to students and staff at locations around campus.

Recover faster

Once you get sick, there are many steps you can take to recover quickly. First off, you can make an appointment at UHS (if you’re a student this is free!). They have medical services for many symptoms.

Sometimes, illness don’t require a visit to the doctor. Colds are caused by viruses and usually last only 10 days so the best thing to do is rest up and take care of your symptoms.

Why exercise?

Making regular exercise a part of your daily routine is important for improving your overall health and reducing your risk of disease. This is important for anyone regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Not only is regular exercise important for your physical health, but it is also beneficial for your mental health, leading to enhanced feelings of well-being and better academic or work performance. Prior to beginning an exercise program, consider activities that you enjoy and identify potential personal barriers to physical activity. Identifying potential barriers to adapting a regular exercise program can assist you in creating strategies to overcome these barriers and help make physical activity a part of your daily routine.

Written by Dr. Jill Barnes and Anna Howery from the Department of Kinesiology.

How often should I exercise?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity over the course of a week. Moderate aerobic activities include brisk walking and easy swimming, while vigorous aerobic activities include running and cross-country skiing. A comprehensive exercise program should also include strength or resistance training. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends muscle-strengthening activities, which work all major muscle groups, on at least 2 days of the week.

Remember, it is important to make physical activity a part of your lifestyle; therefore, even short bouts of activity throughout the day can be beneficial.

Written by Dr. Jill Barnes and Anna Howery from the Department of Kinesiology.

Exercising on campus?

Rec Sports has you covered for all thing exercising on campus. They have places all over campus where you can workout, so take a look at their website for more info. Students get free membership with access to the facilities, pools, and many services. Faculty and staff can get affiliate memberships.

Outdoor Activities

Outdoor UW is the campus hub for outdoor activities. They rent out equipment for camping, hiking, winter activities, and paddling. They also host terrace yoga during the warm months. Outdoor UW also supports Hoofers, which has clubs for all sorts of outdoor activities, including mountaineering, horse back riding, sailing, scuba diving, and ski/snowboarding. Rec Sports also has some outdoor areas for exercise.

Sports

Rec Sports host many intramural sports from soccer to innertube water polo. They also have over 40 club sports, which are student run organizations that compete at various levels.