The Daily Reveille
Thursday, February 7, 2013
HEALTH
page 5
Students participate in TigerFit Wellness Challenge Program promotes healthy lifestyles Zach Carline
Contributing Writer
University students will now have the opportunity to make healthy lifestyle changes and win prizes with the help of the University Student Recreational Complex and the Student Health Center. The UREC and Student Health Center collaborated to bring students the TigerFit Wellness Challenge, an 11-week program free to students and designed to help them reach their health, fitness, financial and mental health needs, with the opportunity to win prizes by attending seminars. “By coming together and promoting this program, we are hoping to get more students who would not have used the UREC
or health center services,” said UREC Coordinator of Fitness and Wellness Lacee Breeden. Registered dietitian at the Student Health Center Vanessa Richard said the program is based on the TigerFit Warrior Challenge, a program designed mostly around fitness. The program will consist of 10 weekly wellness meetings. In addition to the meetings, there will be nutrition, stress and relaxation workshops and the Student Financial Management Center will also host a financial wellness seminar. Richard said the challenge is “something that is fun and easy to do, so [students] can stay on track.” The participating students will be given a passport to place the stickers they receive for attending each program event. The more stickers students acquire, the more prizes they will have the opportunity to win. The grand prize will be a custom-made bicycle for the
student by a local bike shop. have specific goals but hopes to Richard said any student may get in shape. “It will help me stay on track participate in the activities, but more than if I was only those registrying to do it by tered in the pro‘This may be an myself,” she said. gram will have opportunity to make Andre said the opportunity to win prizes. those goals sustainable she believes the nutrition part of As of Tuesand achievable.’ the program will day, 225 students help her maintain were registered to Vanessa Richard a healthier diet. participate in the Student Health Center dietitian “Right now, program, Richard my diet is pretty said, adding that the large turnout may be due to much mac and cheese and ramen noodles. It’s convenience-based New Year’s resolutions. International studies junior rather than anything healthy,” Chelsea Andre said she does not she said.
Biological engineering junior Daniel Rees said he has some more specific goals for the program. Rees said he is looking to add more workouts to his routine and develop a better diet — one he can maintain on the budget of a college student while still having fun. “I’m on the cycling team,” he said. “I’d like to get a healthy diet going to support my workouts.”
Contact Zach Carline at zcarline@lsureveille.com
Rebirth Brass Band DEPARTURE The Journey Tribute Band
The Stone Rabbits
Feb. Saturday 9
of campus. Lalonde said the University launched the emergency text notification system soon after the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. Olivia McClure Prior to using text messages, it was more difficult to keep the Contributing Writer University community informed The University tested its during an emergency, he said. emergency text messaging sysHowever, the amount of intem Wednesday, sending about formation that can be included in 28,000 messages in less than a text message is limited, Lalonde one minute, acsaid. cording to IT ‘It’s always a balancing “It’s always security and pola balancing act icy officer John act between the accuracy between the acBorne. and the quality of the curacy and the In addiquality of the intion, more than information along with formation along 39,400 emails the actual timeliness.’ with the actual were sent within timeliness,” five minutes and Lalonde said. Capt. Cory Lalonde more than 1,900 BiochemLSU Police Department spokesman computers on istry freshman campus were activated with no- Megan Gilliam said she is not tifications almost immediately, signed up to receive emergency Borne wrote in an email to The text messages but thinks the serDaily Reveille. vice is effective in sharing critiAccording to a Jan. 29 Uni- cal information with students. versity news release, “LSU tests “If people don’t sign up its emergency text messaging for it, then they’re not going to system twice a year, with the last know,” Gilliam said. test occurring Sept. 26, 2012.” Though she doesn’t receive The University also sends desk- the text messages, Gilliam said top notifications to some com- she checks her email and reads puters on campus as well as the emergency broadcast mesbroadcast emails, the release said. sages regularly. LSU Police Department University students, faculty spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde and staff can opt to receive the said the University is legally emergency text messages by gorequired to give warning of ing to myLSU, clicking “Campus dangerous situations. Lalonde Community” then “Emergency said the emergency text mes- Text Message.” saging system permits quick communication of informaContact Olivia McClure at tion about an incident, such as omcclure@lsureveille.com instructions to avoid certain areas
Mardi Gras Kick Off
Feb. Thursday 28 Feb. Friday 22
28,000 reached in less than a minute
Feb. Saturday 23 Feb. Saturday 16
University tests text notification system
Feb. Thursday 7
SAFETY
KVN GATES with Kole Parker, SAVAGE, and DJ Ya Boy Earl
Super Water Symphony
Circa Amore The Dash Between
visit www.varsitytheatre.com for more info