The University Health Center is offering a weight loss program for students who want to engage in a healthy lifestyle.

Lighten Up Lions is a free eight-week program that will show students how to lose weight both during and after the semester.

Alexia Fisher, peer educator and coordinator for Lighten Up Lions, explained that the program was designed with the lifestyles of college students in mind.

“Lighten Up Lions is a weight loss program for students,” said Fisher. “No time, no money, which later ends to no motivation and not being active or choosing better choices for meals. This program is also a group-like setting, where everyone is encouraged to motivate. We do try to gear toward a healthy lifestyle, so after the program, they can continue getting out and being active as well as eating properly.”

Fisher mentioned that the program will help students to learn how to track and manage their weight.

“The program has weekly weigh-ins, bi-weekly meetings with staff to answer questions and go over their meal or exercise plan,” explained Fisher. “We will also be taking participants’ schedules to come up with walk schedules, meetings at the REC to participate in Group X classes, to go learn how to properly use the gym equipment and also go to the gym.”

In addition to the exercise component, the program will also address healthy dietary habits. 

“We also have a nutrition cooking class in the works for not only LUL but any students who would like to participate,” shared Fisher.

In addition to being a university student, all participants are required to have a BMI of 25% or higher.

“For students who don’t know their BMI, they can go to the University Health Center or the REC for their BMI at no cost,” explained Fisher.

Anyone interested in joining the program must fill out the appropriate paperwork, which is available at the UHC and on the website. 

 “The links for the sign-up are necessary, because it goes over consent, liability, but also goals and background and health information,” said Fisher. “So for the bi-weekly, we’re not starting from scratch, and we have background information that we build on. The program starts on March 2, which is also the deadline for sign up packets to be turned in at the health center.”

Fisher believes that weight loss programs can have social benefits as well, especially for college students.

“It’s important to have groups like this on college campuses because already the transition from high school to college has mixed feelings,” expressed Fisher. “Not knowing a lot of people, but also a step away from the comfort of your home where a parent figure is no longer watching what you eat or how long you stay inside. It’s also great to have a program where people can get together who have the same interests of having a healthy lifestyle and challenge each other but still have fun.”

The deadline to apply for Lighten Up Lions is March 2. Applications and all necessary forms can be turned in to the UHC.