Form healthy living habits for a better lifestyle with BYU–Hawaii’s Seasider Wellness
Students commonly struggle with consistency when creating and maintaining healthy living habits, said Seasider Wellness coaches Ying Ying Lee and Samuel Regidor.
Fortunately, Seasider Wellness offers many facilities and services which students and faculty may use to improve their physical wellness and overall lifestyle. Lee and Regidor, health and human science seniors from Malaysia and Japan, share how students can access these resources and take advantage of them.
1. Getting started
Students may begin by accessing the center’s website and scheduling a “Getting Started” appointment. Students fill out a health questionnaire inquiring about their daily health routines, like eating habits and physical activities.
Following the questionnaire, students can meet the wellness coaches in person to discuss their current state of health and possible fitness plans. If students choose to take action, then they can work with the coaches to perform a “fitness assessment.”
2. Fitness assessments
Fitness assessments help students better understand their bodies by measuring their body composition or taking a full-body examination.
Full-body examination:
Alternatively, students may take a full-body assessment, which goes more in-depth by testing a student’s flexibility, cardio fitness, muscular fitness as well as blood pressure and glucose.
After collecting data, students can discuss their future goals with coaches who can help formulate a wellness plan accordingly.
Body composition measurements:
Using the modern technologies “Bod Pod” and “Styku,” data may be drawn about a student’s body balance and composition, estimate body fat, burnt calories on average, etc.
For the Bod Pod, students will enter a small chamber, where coaches then operate the machine for data collection. Meanwhile, the Styku enables students to personally measure their bodies by standing on a rotating platform to be scanned.
Both machines require students to wear compression clothing or swimsuits to ensure accurate measurements of the body. After collecting data, students can discuss their future goals with coaches who can help formulate a wellness plan accordingly.
3. Wellness planning with personal trainers
Wellness plans can take several forms, such as fitness training and non-fitness consultations.
Fitness trainings and non-fitness consultations: Fitness training guides students in following a schedule to exercise in the gym. These are tailored to students’ preferences, like their target body areas, how long or often they can exercise per week and more. Non-fitness consultations cover nutrition, sleep and stress management. Coaches inform and advise students on how to eat healthier and better regulate their sleep, which can lessen overall stress.
One-on-one coaching: Coaches assist students by teaching them how to operate gym equipment, adjust training plans and ensure accountability.
4. On gender, genetics and special conditions
Wellness plans differ for each student based on gender, age, genetics, biological composition and medical conditions. Coaches say male students usually hold more muscle mass in their upper body, whereas female students have more strength in their lower body. Meanwhile, body composition varies across populations due to genetics and environment. Paired with age and medical conditions, wellness plans must adjust to the student’s needs and capabilities. Students with food allergies, physical limitations or other medical conditions (i.e. asthma, hypertension, etc.) must fill out the Physical Activity Readiness questionnaire (PARQ). Students with health conditions must provide a doctor’s letter describing said conditions so coaches may create an appropriate wellness plan.
5. Additional information
Seasider Wellness operates in McKay Gymnasium and Pool 132 (GYM 132), with office hours on Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. For more information, visit the center’s website through the QR code displayed or their Instagram @byuh_seasiderwellness.
6. An alumnus's testimony
Former Seasider Wellness coach and BYUH alumnus Jia Yang Kiron Choo now lives an active, and often strenuous, routine as he pursues a master’s degree in athletic training. Choo credits his ability to persevere through college life and all the challenges it entails to his fit and healthy lifestyle. According to him, balancing academic responsibilities, proper exercise and life in general has prevented much burnout, and even enabled him to enjoy life beyond BYU–Hawaii.