By Luke Frantz, March 21, 2023
Giving tips on healthy dieting and living habits, ASI Bronco Events & Activities Team hosted their Fit Fest as a part of Geek Week in the Bronco Recreation & Intramural Complex March 14. The week was filled with activities, and despite heavy rain and technical difficulties, the Fit Fest was still able to run, providing students with advice on how to better take care of themselves.
The event was split into two sections after it was moved inside. The smaller of the two was free personal training sessions in the BRIC for students who were interested in trying out training but never did, while the other section was a group discussion.
The discussion was led by guest speaker Anastasia Arnestad, an online personal trainer, wellness coach, founder of “VegShe” and a CPP alumni.
As students entered studio E in the BRIC, they were met with healthy snacks and beverages as they were encouraged to join in on the group discussion.
Arnestad started the discussion by asking all attendees to stand and participate in a quick quiz activity to gauge where the average student stands on the basis of health and well-being. The discussion informed attendees about healthy living and encouraged participants to ask questions in order to get a better understanding of health and wellness.
“I think it’s super important for students to be here,” said Arnestad. “When I was a student, I did not have my wellness in mind, I used my Bronco Bucks to pay for Lean Cuisines and drink Red bull, so I would say that I barely squeaked by.”
Having that experience helped Arnestad better relate to the students who were attending the seminar. She told stories and reflected on what she wished she would have bought instead of her unhealthy choices.
Students expressed wanting to make better choices with the resources they’ve been given. Criminology student Javier Gomez briefly touched on what brought him to the event.
“I struggle to find what to eat,” said Gomez. “I am trying to inform myself on what I could do better, my main goal is to try and find more nutrients.”
Arnestad continued on to explain how starting early is important when it comes to caring for one’s health and well-being.
“If you don’t know how to feed yourself or move your body in a way that feels right for you, you’re going to suffer the consequences sooner rather than later,” said Arnestad
Throughout the event, Arnestad elaborated on the questions asked during the quiz activity and actively involved participants by touching on their answers. Students participating had a lot of questions that Arnestad was happy to answer and given that the outdoor portion of the event could not be held, she was happy to extend her time there for any follow-up that students may have.
Geology student Dani Savinon stayed after the event to continue asking questions about the self-care practices mentioned during the event.
“I just wanted to have a healthier, qualified approach,” said Savinon. “I feel like there’s so much misinformation out there so this was nice.”
Savinon also encouraged more students to participate in events such as the Fit Fest, because even though it’s uncertain what information you will leave with, there are many ways one can benefit from attending.
Despite the rain disrupting the event, ASI BEAT was able to provide helpful information on students’ health and well-being.
Feature image courtesy of Joseph Mcvey
