UHCL sacrifices weight for intellectual student state
Editorial

If you have ever attended or visited another university, you have probably noticed something that our campus is lacking, a fitness facility. There is no place on this campus for students, faculty or staff to participate in worthwhile physical activity.

Our society is indeed body conscious. At the same time, it is hard to set aside time for exercise. For students this is especially true. Many students may be neglecting their bodies, not out of laziness, but because they may not have the time or money to devote to an over-priced, out-of-the-way fitness facility. A facility on campus would give more students the option of a regular exercise program. Students who commute would have another option in between a three-hour break besides visiting the cafeteria or snack machines.

At one time, a gymnasium did exist on our campus. Now a weight room and racquetball courts have been replaced by computers and computer classrooms. Our university is sending out the message that a sedentary existence is acceptable. This could not be any further from the truth. The body and mind should not be viewed as two separate entities, but as one. The body and mind are constantly communicating and continually affect each other. Regular exercise not only aids in body development and appearance, but also helps reduce stress, clear the mind, improve self-esteem and helps people work more efficiently.

Students are constantly worried or stressed. This places extra demand on their bodies. Exercise is a potent weapon against stress and its aging effects. A regular program of aerobic exercise will relax tensed muscles. Deep relaxation makes the body feel calm and refreshed.

When the body is in a relaxed state it is hard to feel stress. Hormone levels can indicate whether a person is fit or stressed. Studies indicate that athletes are physiologically better able to adapt to stress. A person with a high fitness level has an increased threshold at which the hormones that cause stress are released. A person who is not fit would show an increased level of hormones.

When we are mentally tired, many of us use cigarettes, coffee, caffeine or alcohol to alter our mood. Exercise is more effective. People feel more energetic when participating in consistent exercise. Scientists believe that circulation and increased oxygen delivery makes us feel more buoyant in mind and body. Exercise helps you feel more alert and better able to deal with potentially stressful situations.

Regular exercise is something that should be implemented into every student's routine. For many, the closest thing to a sports facility students may have is the stairwell. Our university should not be contributing to the separation of the mind-body relationship. It is everyone's responsibility to end our streak as the fattest city in America.

A new facility may not be feasible, but this is not necessarily the only answer. Reduced rates at a near by fitness center would certainly give students an incentive to start a regular exercise program. This area is full of fitness clubs and gyms for students to join. However, many of these facilities may not be economically realistic for students. Many are over-priced and have members sign long-term contracts making it less appealing for a student to join. Reduced rates in exchange for an additional charge in a student's fee may make a gym seem more appealing for students on a tight budget.

The best way to fight a nationwide epidemic of obesity is through knowledge. Students need to know there are other ways to reduce stress than smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer. Students come to UH-Clear Lake to secure a higher standard of living. The university should not be sending the message that health can be sacrificed.