The Fitness Guru with a Plan

For those under the age of 30, health is rarely a top priority. But, a certain fitness guru from the Windy City has a simple plan of action to get college students in shape by the year 2010. Join our Chicago writer, Dennise Pineda for the details.

Chicago, IL--- Freshmen fifteen, beer guts and that pesky baby fat--there is no doubt that college students are the unhealthiest bunch around. In fact, according to recent findings, the generation topped off by age 23 is the unhealthiest generation in history.

The electronic age has caused most college students to lead sedentary lifestyles prompting the medical community to change the name of adult diabetes to type 2 diabetes due to a huge rise in pre-pubescent teens being diagnosed with the illness.

Enter Mark Brticevich, fitness director for Columbia College Chicago and Roosevelt University, as well as a personal wellness professor at Columbia College. Brticevich is the former CFO of the Chicago Public Library and as he puts it "lived life in the fast lane" by abusing alcohol and drugs on a regular basis and measuring in at a 46 inch waist, the man was a walking heart attack.

He was severely depressed and knew he had to make a change, and change he did. He gave up his habits cold turkey and began to exercise feverishly. As the pounds melted off, Brticevich began seeing life in a new perspective and wanted to share this newfound knowledge with other unhealthy souls.

He quit his job, went back to school and got certified in nutrition and physical fitness. It was while exploring this new endeavor that he learned about the "special population" that desperately needed help with fitness, senior citizens and the aforementioned young unhealthy generation.

In 1996, the United States surgeon general proclaimed that a sedentary lifestyle is equal to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. According to Brticevich, when the surgeon general speaks, everyone listens and this proclamation prompted a nationwide action plan designed by the US Public Health Service called "Healthy People 2000" and later reformed, tweaked and renamed Healthy People 2010.

The plan is geared towards achieving two broad goals, the elimination of health disparities and the increase of life span and the quality of life by focusing on 28 areas and 10 leading health indicators.

These are the facts that Brticevich presents to every class he teaches and after getting mauled with multiple questions on the subject every time, he's decided to take this concept and tailor it to his "special pops" as he lovingly calls his students.

He understands the obstacles that college students face and has heard every excuse in the book on why they can't exercise or why fast food is the more efficient choice when on a tight schedule and budget. Despite all this, he's convinced that college students can lead a healthy lifestyle that will lead to less stress, better sleep, and multiple other benefits, it just takes some deliberate changes.

"I know I'm severely unhealthy and I absolutely attribute it to college life," states Annette Kloptowski, a senior at Columbia College. "With classes being three hours long and usually not enough time between classes or at break to order decent food, I usually end up grabbing a bag of chips from the vending machine or some fast food at one of the local spots."

She is not alone, students across the country can relate to extremely hectic schedules, trying to juggle homework, extracurricular activities, work, children and so much more. For those of you out there like Annette, Brticevich has some advice for you.

The Plan

1. Invest in a pedometer. In order to achieve a fit lifestyle, an individual should be walking 10,000 steps a day. A sedentary person walks somewhere between 1,000 to 3,000 steps and chances are, most college students are in this range. Obtaining a pedometer can help you determine where you are and where you need to be in regards to daily walking.

2. You should eat something every three hours. This may sound like an impossible feat on slim budgets but it can be done. Baby carrots, pretzels, cheese sticks and popcorn, these are all snacks you can stick in your bag along with your books and have something to nosh on in between classes and meetings. It may take an effort of getting up 15 minutes earlier every morning to pack these snacks but your body will thank you.

3. As far as exercise, start small. The mistake many young people make is to take on too much at once and then just end up burnt out. Deciding that you're going to become fit and run a marathon next month is ludicrous and insane, it is all about baby steps. Just get up and get moving whether it means a brisk walk to class or going out dancing, incorporate an activity you deem fun so you can set aside time to actually do it. Clearly, if you're attempting to lose weight or build muscle, you have to follow an actual, official exercise routine, but for those of us who have no time, 30 minutes a day of some sort of activity is a great start.

4. Get regular check ups but don't be afraid to challenge your doctor. Many times, young people go to doctors and are diagnosed with different conditions ranging from just slightly inconvenient to really serious, most just get prescribed tons of drugs and take them without thinking twice. Remember that you know your body better than anyone else and you have the right to ask your doctor a multitude of questions and likewise have the right to question whether or not prescription drugs are always the solution.

Not all college students fall under the category of "special pops"; some actually embrace fitness and take it very seriously. Take Julie Atty for example, a junior at Columbia College who says, "I enjoy running, doing yoga, and eating healthy. Staying active helps me reduce stress and focus on what matters: having fun."

For the rest of us that fall into that "unhealthiest generation" category, remember, health and wellness is about perspective, about balance and about the big picture. It is a lifestyle and a personalized approach to living your life to its fullest potential. Taking the simple but effective tips that Brticevich gives, will help you realize just how important taking care of your body is in order to be successful in all areas of your life.

Brticevich hopes to someday travel the country encouraging students more at length to take the "Healthy College Students 2010" challenge. For now, he's busy trying to get his "special pops" over at Columbia College in the Windy City to get off the couch and onto his gym. He certainly has his work cutout for him.